Nils Rurack

What if or what would have been are not questions that I ask myself very often. In general, these questions refer to choices we have made in our lives where we are in control. When looking back, we can reflect on the choices we made because we see how they turned out. Even though I can think of a lot of significant moments in my life where it could have gone left or right or green or blue I am very happy with where I am at and what I do. Although I sometimes ask myself what would have happened if I had started gigging with X or played with Y I usually stop myself pretty quickly because I wouldn't have met my wife or we wouldn't have had our kids. So even if I spoke of choices earlier I do believe in destiny. Last week, a very prominent figure in the music world died. Les Paul had probably more influence on the shape of modern popular music than Elvis and The Beatles together. Although he made numerous inventions, there are two that overshadow everything: the development of the ...

Sometimes great things happen. For example you write a CD review and the band that recorded the CD reads it. And then they ask you to leave the past behind and focus on their latest release. Who am I to turn them down? I feel honored. The band I'm talking about is 24-7 Spyz and the topic of today's review is their 2006 release Face The Day. The band was separated for several years between 1998 and 2003 when they reformed as Jimi Hazel on guitar and vocals, Rick Skatore on bass and Tony Lewis on drums. They released a DVD in 2005 before recording and releasing Face The Day in 2006 with new member Tobias Ralph on drums. Bare the title in mind when this CD hits you like a brick wall with the high-energy punk-rock opener Unknown Wellknown. While it makes sure you are awake for the rest of the 14 (!) song album it also teaches 24-7 Spyz history. Heavy Metal Soul 4 Life is the description coined by the band itself for their music and I think it reached a new level of perfection on Fa...

Music is an important piece of my life. Only my family takes priority over music. Sometimes it means that working to support my family comes before music. But in my mind, there is always music playing. It can be a song I started to write, the brand new song from fill-in-name-here or an old album from my collection. Music is a language and full of stories. Last weekend I was blessed to share some of these stories with someone who was involved in making the music of those particular stories. As I probably pointed out one too many times already, the early 90s were a very active musical period for me, playing as well as listening. The rock music scene was alive with bands that were blending all kinds of different styles. Those were challenging and interesting times. While the industry was busy finding labels like crossover, funk-metal or rap-rock to categorize (and market) these bands and there music the bands were busy finding their own way to earn money and spread their music. One of the...

When MTV started broadcasting music videos in the 1980's, a lot of people cried foul because it was going to kill the radio star. Someone even wrote a song about it. But did it really? Was it not just another revenue channel for the artists that were already played on the radio anyway? Or did the radio stations fear loss of income because of the new competitor? It could have been the perfect opportunity for them to redefine themselves and distinguish themselves from their visual counterpart. It could have added to the diversity in our media landscape and increased the exposure of lesser known bands and artists. Video didn't kill the radio star. Marketing kills music and it keeps chipping away at it until today. Advertisers bring in the money. In order to get advertisers you need many listeners on the radio. To accomplish this, most radio stations play the same music by the same artists that are popular. Record companies supported this model because the return is greater if you ...

It was sad to see Farrah Fawcett lose her long and strenuous battle against cancer yesterday. I was shocked later in the day when I heard of the death of Michael Jackson. My first reaction was disbelief. Surely, he wasn't done yet. He just booked 50 shows in London. They were all sold out and the king of pop was going to do what he does best, perform his music. When I realized that the news story was real I felt sad. Sad about the loss of a true and great artist that has influenced music and all of us in so many ways. There are few people who had such a huge impact on music as we know it today. Michael wrote and published such ground-breaking songs in the 80s that changed the musical landscape forever. His greatest hits are timeless and I cannot say that about many artists from the past 30 years. My thoughts are with both Michael's and Farrah's families. Every death is a tremendous loss. Unfortunately, in recent times Michael was more in the spotlight for his alleged behavi...

Yesterday I received a comment from Dave Grossman on my metronome blog and I wanted to thank Dave for reading my blog, contemplating the contents and taking the time to comment. One of my goals is to have a discussion with readers and appreciate the input. I wanted to clarify a few points regarding the metronome issue. Many musicians and music educators believe in metronomes and the value thereof. I don't have a problem with that. My personal issue is that people put too much emphasis on the use of metronomes. I find it interesting that the supporters of metronomes in musical education constantly ask for proof that metronomes aren't effective in learning and developing an inner time source. Personally, I believe that no one will be able to prove the effectiveness of metronomes in a positive or negative way unless scientific studies are conducted. Since this question is really not of the greatest importance there will never be funding available to conduct such a study. In the me...

When people hear that I play guitar quite a few times they asked me for lessons. I usually respond that I don't give lessons. This does not mean that I won't be posting instructional videos for everyone's pleasure and entertainment at some point. I might just do that. There are a number of reasons why I don't sit down and teach. It is very hard to keep a steady income going with a private practice and positions at music schools are rare and not very well paid. Also, a network of contacts is necessary but by moving from country to country and continent to continent it is hard to establish one. I have created an online network with people from all over the world but that hardly counts for my immediate environment. My main interest is music and most students are looking for quick lessons on the instrument. This sounds snobbish and arrogant but it is not. Just like there are kindergarten teachers and college professors there are people that like to teach others the first st...

You can say many things about YouTube. It's a tool, it's a nuisance, it's old, it's new, it's fun, it's annoying and the list goes on and on. What attracts my attention is the vast supply of music related videos. These can be music videos, concerts or other presentations. While others are posting or looking for new hilarious videos or the latest events on video I dive in to look for footage from bands, recent and especially past. It is a goldmine. I am seriously surprised by what footage is out there. Videos from concerts in an age where there were only few video cameras around, and the ones available were expensive, huge and heavy. I've been wishing for years I could see a Tubes show from the 70s and I already gave up hope that they would ever release a DVD from their "What do you want from live" tour just for old times sake and sentimentalists like me. Thanks to YouTube I didn't have to look much further and found a wealth clips. I thoroughly...

It's funny when I talk to people and tell them that I am a musician and play guitar everyone and their cousin plays guitar or can find another instrument they used to play in high school or band. I understand that by abiding by the laws of conversation this comes from the deeper sense of trying to find a common ground. Everybody should have played or tried an instrument at some point in their life. Music helps children develop skills and forms an outlet of energy and feelings for everyone. If you've read prior posts you are already familiar with my findings that adults play instruments for many different reasons ranging from recreation to business. I often wonder why people stop playing instruments and making music. Most often I hear the lack of time as a reason or the interest in other hobbies. Although I believe that there are so many things in this world that are interesting and we generally only scratch the surface of what we try, I also believe in balance. Picking up an in...

Two weeks after the finale of season 8 of American Idol I cannot resist offering up my thoughts on the season one last time. The truth is that Idol plays quite a significant role in today's entertainment industry. It doesn't only touch the music industry or television but also the internet and especially the blogosphere. While the music industry is changing rapidly, Idol has become one of the few opportunities for discovery of talent. Backed by this huge financial machine 19 entertainment can actually do what record companies used to do, invest in little known talent. Some make it and some don't but the losses of the flops are still more than re-gained by the sales of the stars. Did you notice how many actual stars perform during the results shows? I thought this last year already; apparently Idol is the place to be. Some artists are there because the show can afford them and their presence brings in more viewers. Others are likely very inclined to show up to boost their po...

You might have read the story about Wal-Mart refusing to sell Green Day's latest CD 21st Century Breakdown if they don't release a clean version without "objectionable content". Wow, that is a big pill to swallow. I can't even begin to tell you what a diversity of feelings that evoked in me from anger to frustration. I applaud Green Day for sticking to their guns and taking a pass on Wal-Mart. My wife and I used to make fun of Green Day in the heyday of pop-punk. Whenever a song would play on the radio or TV we would say: "sounds like Green Day to me". Although I am still not a fan of their music I have to give them kudos for not being afraid to speak out about current issues. My concerns in this matter come from the interpretive nature of the topic. A retail store can sell whatever they want to sell. An artist can create art freely unless they violate other's rights. There is art, especially in music, which is not suitable for all audiences. I agree...

Playing music is one of the best things you can do in this world. There are hundreds of reasons why you would want to play an instrument. You like to play for yourself and enjoy the music or you prefer to play with others and have fun together. You can play to relax or because you're curious. One of the interesting aspects of making music is that there is always something new to learn. As you're practicing and learning you are becoming better and more proficient, but with every step you take and every level you reach new doors and passages are opening up. In this day and age there is a conflict between the rising expectation of instant gratification and the study and practicing of skills. When I look around me I see more and more people acting results driven instead of purpose driven. While I would be the first person to acknowledge that we need both ways to succeed in our quest through life I noticed that there is no balance between them anymore. I am afraid and think it is a ...

So far, I have refrained from using this service to promote my personal activities. Today I will make an exception. It has been 4 months since I changed hosting providers and for the past 4 months I had only a placeholder page up at my website . Yesterday I finally uploaded a working site with informational material about myself and music samples to listen to. It's nothing fancy, just a few simple html pages. I still haven't gotten the hang of it and probably never will but the result is presentable. Also, I didn't put too mush time into it since there is so much else to do. Think about all the music I need to write and record, music I need to promote, kids I need to raise and last but not least my day job. I hope you will enjoy visiting my site and come back often as the content is dynamic. For the media sections I use youtube for videos and reverbnation as music-players. The blog links to this page and the bio pages are faily static until I have some great news to report....

Jeff Berlin is a great bass player. He is also a great teacher and engages in discussion with his friends, fans and students. Another characteristic that I like is that he is very opinionated and not afraid to issue his thoughts. In his words it is a waste of time to use a metronome when practicing your instrument because it doesn't help making you play better. You will reach the same level of proficiency by practicing without a metronome. Also, if you know how to play your instrument, you should be able to tune your instrument. Those are some powerful statements and they usually force many responses (especially from people that use these tools). In order to fully comprehend the message behind these statements I am going to introduce two scenarios that need clearly distinguished between: 1. Making music or learning an instrument 2. Making money with music or playing an instrument When I interpret Jeff's statements I immediately think about the first case. When learning or makin...

Sometimes I wish I had a crystal ball and I could see what the future holds. The development of digital recording equipment and interfaces has occurred and continues to occur at such a rapid pace that it is sometimes hard to keep up. Technologies come and go, some work together and others are incompatible. One of my goals in my home studio is that I'm trying to create a better sound with every song I write and record. Also, I like to have a studio that is expandable and flexible. When I first started out recording my music I used a 4-track tape recorder with an Atari to create midi tracks. A Roland soundcanvas served as my only source of sounds. Granted, this was 20 years ago and sounded like crap. By the time I was able to upgrade my studio in the mid 90's there was a whole different world out there with hard disk recorders, Macintosh had long ago replaced Atari and samplers offered great audio capabilities and realistic sounding instruments. I chose a setup with my Mac at the...

In the ever changing landscape of the music business it is a constant struggle to stay afloat as an artist. As it has become easier for the individual to promote and distribute digital media it has become increasingly difficult to make a living in music. With a greater number of free downloads than ever before and the decline of physical CD sales artists now not only need to be marketing specialists but also continuously find new revenue streams. At this point it is almost necessary to have a business plan in place. Basically, you should answer a few simple questions for yourself to avoid wasting time and energy on a lot of endeavors with little return (if any). Who are your fans? Know who is interested in the type of music you play. Are there specific age groups or genders that like what you do? What can you do to appeal to your fans even more? How can you reach your fans and grow your fan base? Do you have a website, a mailing list, do you play live shows, and is your music played by...

In previous posts I have talked about musical expression when playing an instrument or singing. I tried to explain the basic components of a song and shared the vision of one of my favorite guitar players, Scott Henderson. When playing any style of music you need to know your basics like the rhythm, the harmonic and the melodic structures. To elevate your playing and add your interpretation to a song you utilize dynamics, phrasing and timing among others. There is one characteristic however that falls outside of all these categories. It's the tone. The tone is part of your actual instrumental skills. Yet at the same time it is probably the most personal touch in your play. The tone comes before the sound. It is what comes out of your fingers (or your throat when singing). Even drummers, who usually play without physical contact, create the tone with their body in the way they use their arms, hands and feet and the force and technique they apply when hitting the drums. Why is tone ...

Everyone has their own little favorite things. The special something that makes life easier, makes your work easier or is simply best suited for the job. The runner has the shoes that are the most comfortable for the foot, the graphic designer has Photoshop on their Macintosh and the mechanic swears by WD-40. Musicians like me have their own little pet peeves and favorite items that they can't do without anymore. Just imagine all the different things you're using on a daily basis. If I look at my studio, I see guitars of course and amps, an electric piano, a sampler, a Mac, a mixer, microphones and all kinds of other guitar gear. It is a collection of artifacts from the last 25 years. Some of my equipment is so vitally important to what I do that I could hardly live without it (or would have to spend a lot of money). As technology progresses and everything is getting bigger, better and cheaper some older products fall off the wagon. They didn't generate the revenue that was...

Every once in a while you listen to a CD or an album that has it all. It stays with you for years and you can listen to it almost at any time. One of those albums that has this effect on me is Strength in Numbers from the 24-7 Spyz . The Spyz are a Heavy Metal Soul crossover band from New York that started out in the late 80s. The driving forces behind the band are Jimi Hazel on guitars (and nowadays on vocals) and Rick Skatore on bass guitar. Initially, the band released a couple of albums with P. Fluid on vocals and Anthony Johnson on drums. The music on both albums was very diverse from straight up metal to soul and r&b type ballads. When Anthony Johnson and P. Fluid left the band, Joel Maitoza and Jeff Brodnax joined the band. Their label released the EP Harder Than You first to measure their marketability. Since they received a lot of praise they proceeded with the release of the full album Strength in Numbers. Strength in Numbers will rock your socks off. I have owned the CD ...

The internet offers endless possibilities. You can find everything. You can offer and promote everything easier than ever. The main impact of the internet is change. Change of the way we think, change of the way we do things and change to existing structures and processes. With change and the availability of an abundance of resources comes confusion. There are many areas where change and confusion have shaken things up, broken down barriers and created new opportunities. In the music industry the effects of the emerging new technology have been felt deeply. I have been thinking and reading about the state of the industry a lot lately. There is a wealth of opportunities for musicians. It is easier than ever to reach fans and sell music. It is easier to collaborate with others without being physically in the same location. There is a whole new market of licensing opportunities for online content. On the other hand, there are so many services and platforms that the artist can easily get o...

As much as I love music, I am obsessed with sound as well. It's like a compulsive disorder. When I listen to music sound plays an important role to complete the experience. Although I wouldn't go as far as the fanatic that will still argue ten years from now that the analog sound from vinyl beats digital quality by a mile any day there are huge differences in today's recordings. Sound can be affected on many levels. There are instruments with their specific sound, the mixture of instruments and sounds in a band, recording equipment, media and finally the broadcasting or amplification system. The end result, a combination of all of the above, can only be as good as the weakest individual link. You can have the highest quality recording on your disc of choice; if you listen to it through a pair of cardboard speakers it will sound abominable. You can have the latest high-end hifi surround sound system, if the studio used crappy microphones it will not sound good. I have to mak...

Do you like to hear new music? Do you like to discover new artists that you haven't heard before? Are you getting excited when an unknown song grabs you by the ears and doesn't let go? You have to play the song over and over again and feel the need to tell all of your friends about it? Well, you're in luck because the internet offers endless possibilities of music discovery. In fact, there is such a wealth of undiscovered artists out there that you will be overwhelmed by the mere thought of trying to find something. The available music streaming and download services use complicated algorithms to determine similarity in music and artists based on information that you feed them about your favorite artists, playlists and other available data. Sometimes they compare your taste to the tastes of other listeners. In the end, this method can work out or completely fail. Since every person perceives music in a different way and every artist puts their own talent and creativity into...

Are you a musician or in a band? Are you trying to get the word out about your shows, grow your fan base or sell music and merchandise? It's easier and yet harder than ever before. You can replace facebook in the headline with any other social networking site. There is a flood of social networking sites out there. There are hundreds of online music platforms out there. Where should you start and what should you do? It depends on your goals, level of determination and time to spare. Some sites are a must simply because of the amount of visitors and members they have. Others have tools to offer that will help increase your chances of success. Let me begin by putting out the disclaimer that I don't have all the answers. There are people out there that are in the music marketing business and they scour the web for marketing opportunities each and every day. I can't and don't want to compete with them in the least. But I might have a few pointers that make you want to try so...

It surprises me time and again how few guitar solos can be heard on the radio today. Although the guitar is probably one of the most played instruments in the world and in popular music, its presence is often overshadowed by keyboards, programming or simply doesn't exist. Over more than the last decade even rock music had most of the solos eliminated. There are a few acts that still incorporate solos in their arrangements. I have no idea why things are the way they are. Do bands skip solos to become more marketable and adhere to the "a hit song can't be longer than three and a half minutes" rule? Or is there a legion of hundreds of thousands of guitar players that can play great rhythm but no lead? It will probably remain a mystery to me. However, I do think that it is a shame because guitar solos were an integral part in the rise of rock music in the late 60's, 70's and still in the 80's. Styles that to this day enjoy the presence of guitar solos are blue...

Watching American Idol is one of my biggest pet peeves. I admit it. If you know me you'd probably wonder why since I am extremely picky with everything I listen to or watch. Growing up in Europe I wasn't exposed to too many live shows on TV with live music, at least not at a decent time of day. After I emigrated I embraced the opportunity to watch live performances (good and bad) on a weekly basis during season 2. Also, I am fascinated with the marketing idea behind the show that is pure genius. If you look at the success of the show over 8 seasons with mostly mediocre entertainment you have to admit that someone had a bright idea leading up to this phenomenon. What is Idol? It is a reality TV show dressed up as a singing competition. It is also a marketing campaign to find the public's favorite before they get signed to a record deal. This idea in and of itself is probably the smartest one I've seen in a long time. You ask the public whose record they want to buy and w...

As far as I can remember music fascinated me. I've been told that as soon as I was tall enough to reach the top of my parent's record player I played my mom's old 45s. Throughout my childhood and adolescence I would listen to music, learn instruments and play with others. Apparently I was pretty good at math in high school. Many people told me they were not surprised that I would be good at both disciplines, math and music since they had so much in common. But do they? In my twenties I went to college to study guitar and music. But what was music? That question always stuck with me and I even wrote half my thesis about it. I guess that's where my analytical skills come in. At this point I could translate my thesis and copy and paste it here but that would take up days and way too much space. What brought all this up? Two friends of mine sparked my interest last week by touching on this topic. Ed, one of my favorite internet radio DJ's confronted me with his 4 elemen...