Articles by Ryan Madora - Page 17

It’s election week here in the U.S. The country has been saturated by advertisements, campaign rallies, and repetitive debate jargon. Times like these require a creative outlet, a way to ease the politically charged anxieties. For many people, music is the perfect remedy. While some listeners flock to acoustic folk music or groovy reggae, others set their radio dials to...

I’m an avid radio listener. The preset buttons in my car are heavily worn, the numbers barely legible after years of searching for the perfect song and attempting to dodge commercial messages. Sometimes it’s nice to drive in silence, but usually, the radio is what truly fuels my time spent behind the wheel. I always enjoy hearing new music, but...

When it comes to picking out a bass player to know, I always try to look beyond the scope of my own musical knowledge. Frankly, it’s the best way to learn and discover new things and my hope is that you, the reader, look at this column series as a way to do the same. By enlisting the help of...

We’re all looking for ways to get more bang for our buck, especially when it comes to practicing. We watch videos, scroll through forums, and read columns about how to establish a better practice routine (you may be doing this right now). So, for what it’s worth, here are my two cents. Frankly, most of us don’t like to practice...

For those of you keeping tabs, it’s safe to say that I’m a soul music junkie. Motown, Philly Soul, R&B from Memphis and Muscle Shoals, you name it — I can’t get enough. I’m a sucker for listening to old records, reading books about the development of record labels such as Stax and Atlantic, and seeking out the musicians who...

The world is a big place. Thankfully, no matter where you go, there’s a good chance that you’ll run into some pretty talented people. Every now and then, these gifted individuals muster up the courage to put their money where their mouth is; they take a leap of faith and invest in their own abilities, skills, and marketable traits. Rather...

One of my favorite pastimes is reading album credits. Who played on that song? This guy did the whole record! They were also the backing band for those guys! It’s music trivia galore and these discoveries are sweet little surprises that build the timeline of music history. It’s often fun to play guessing games, to hone your ear to particular...

I remember the day that I got my first bass. Months of daydreaming culminated in a trip to Medley Music, a local music store just outside of Philadelphia. I knew that place well. It was a few blocks down the street from an ice cream parlor, a movie theater, restaurants, and various businesses. A frequent Friday afternoon destination, there were...

There’s something special about overturning the rocks of musical history and revealing the identity of a bass player to know. It’s a treasured moment of discovery, a series of lines connecting the dots, and a great reason to be inspired by our instrument and those who have played it best. This Bass Players to Know column features Norbert Putnam, a...

We live in a pretty hectic world. In addition to our day-to-day worries, such as battling traffic and remembering to buy toilet paper, we can’t seem to escape from the never-ending news cycle. Lately, politics seem to have taken over; there is ongoing discussion of constitutional amendments, how to deal with big business and the global economy, and how the...

Again spotlighting the anchor of a power trio, this Bass Players To Know features Chris Wolstenholme, bassist for Muse. Since the mid-90’s, Muse has released innovative and intelligent music that continues to push the boundaries of rock. Their larger-than-life stage presence, persistence in the industry, and brilliant multi-instrumentalism continues to result in hit records and sold out performances. Wolstenholme brings...

For most musicians, walking into a professional recording studio is like setting foot in Disneyland. There are so many colors, so many shiny microphones, so many synthesizers! You want to touch everything, including those knobs on the console that are so perfectly aligned. The faint scent of aged wood, treated walls, and ghostly vibrations transport you to a world of...