Music Star Academy

Am I too old to learn the Guitar ?

2015-05-29T05:00:00.001-07:00

Man : Hi, Music Star Academy?

MSA: Hi, yes this is Music Star Academy. Can I help you?

Man: I’m wondering if you have guitar course for adults?

After 13 years of giving music lessons, the most challenging ones are to provide guitar lessons to adults. I mean people age between 40 – 72 years old. Why 72 ? I have one student whom age is 72. A man who paint buildings all his life and playing guitar at his leisure time, this is what he told me “ Young man, before I step into the coffin. May I know the secrets of playing Jazz music as during the 40’s my favorite songs mostly are from that genre.” And so i gave him 3 months class and off he goes playing all that jazz music he love so much.

Why challenging? Is not because of hard joints of the fingers, or slow understanding or full capacity in the brain that unable the student to learn. But the way of thinking. They always come into class with a full cup instead of an empty one. I’m not talking about all, but mostly. I have 60 years old that seems to catch up playing guitar in less than a month and happy with his achievement.

Maybe I’m young? They seems to already lose confident when they see a young teacher. How this young man can teach me anyway? May he is less experienced to. I get this all the time. But I still believe that, to them seeing is believing. If they see me play a few tunes, then I’m over stage 1.And I don’t mean playing metallica or shred lick like from Malmsteen. Tunes that they would understand and comprehend. They will then have confident on me to teach them.

Stage 2, you can’t scold. You can't make negative statements. You need to be very careful in giving pointers and make encouragement rather then penalties. Take time slowly and move according to their speed. Don't rush and be more caring.

They don’t expect much, just to be able to play some everygreen songs and chat with you sometimes, they will feel their time is spent worthwhile.

To me, I like teaching adults a lot. Because i get to help them regain the music in their life, everyone goes through life, ups and downs. I believe that music works as a salvation to it, and I am honored to be able to help and provide my service to them.

SO back to the question? Are you too old to learn the guitar?

NO you are not.

Come along if you have doubt, I will always find a solution to help anyone to be able to enjoy the beautiful art and craft of the guitar.

Because I love it so much!!~

How Long DO it Takes to Learn the GUITAR?

2015-05-26T05:45:00.001-07:00

How Long DO it Takes to Learn the GUITAR?

Just the other day as usual a new student came and register for guitar lessons, as usual too the parent will ask a few questions on how the process and how much a guitar is but that particular day one of the same questions I get everyday seems to have just spark a thought. The question is,

How Long Do it takes for My Son to learn The Guitar?

Maybe it’s the arrangement of words in that question spark a whole different spectrum of answer from the ones I have been answering all this time.

How Long?

I have asked myself once, how long do you want to learn the guitar? I mean if she would refine the question to be how long you think my son can strum twinkle twinkle little star? I would just answer on the 3^rd class. But How Long, man it’s a hard one because I myself doubt it. Is it because I don’t know?

Yes

I would answer “I don’t Know”, learning the guitar is an endless journey. How long depends on how long you want to learn, until your desire on improvement on the guitar fade off. I have been playing and learning the guitar 18 years now and I still learn it today. Everyday when I pickup the guitar I felt I still lack of this and lack of that. My sweep picking is not as good as Jason Becker and my composition sucks if it’s to compare to Joe Satriani’s. But in another point of view I felt lucky, because even my life is now full and currently adding on daily life commitments. My desire to improve on the guitar still burns. How can I resist from learning the whole tracks in Deep Purple’s Machine Head album? How can I resist to master Perpetual Burn?

You kinda of start off learning chords, then melody. Learn abit of theory, move on to techniques. Covering songs, learning artist styles…etc.. So there are tons of lessons, tons of guitarist you can learn from. How can the learning stops if a lesson it created from a guitarist? As everyone is unique , every lesson and sometimes on same thing might be different if taught by a different perspective. And there’s always something new to learn from.

How long?

Man I give up on answering it, if someone takes guitar playing and learning seriously, it’s for life I gonna tell you. I will be taking this for life. Whatever that will be going against it, I will hop over and continue.

What did I answer the parent?

I said, he will take it in for life if he learn from me. I will make sure all of my students taste the meaning of music and what the guitar can do to make it so beautiful for everyone and most importantly for himself as music will change and alter your life in a better way. Then I added, if you mean by able to strum and sing twinkle twinkle little star? His 3^rd class… The parent smiled and nodded. He knew he made the right choice in bring his son to me, the correct teacher for guitar and life.

Play what you sing, sing what you play

2013-08-11T01:13:00.000-07:00

Once you can do this, So many have come to me to learn the kinda ultimate skill , "guitar soloing" and thought one can be master the mentioned skill overnight and it's only partly true.

YES !

You may learned it overnight but to solo like Van Halen? In your dreams bro...

You can only understand the soloing concept but far from really understanding the meaning,feel of Improvisation . The note choices the modes the tri tone substitution .

And yes it may seems to be intimidated , but its true to the bone. In order to solo like yngwie malmsteen, you need years of experience on improvisation or learn the top 100 best solo's of all time. But don't give up yet, if they can solo so can you. You only need to start now.

First all you need to do is be able to play the basic of guitar, means playing chords and single notes. Then practice singing what you play, make try to match what you play to what you sing. The. Idea is to sync your mind with the guitars note with your hands or fingers as the bridge.

The idea is simple, if you can't sing what you play. You don't know what you are doing at all.

So try....... and see if you are playing what you can sing..

It All Started with 3

2013-08-08T01:11:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time not very far away, My friend and i started this so to called Music School, it have been a ride going through all the hurdles in life and the school. We have lots of funny stories going on and if i have the extra money i will produce a tv series out of it... surely you guys will laugh your lungs out.
One of the story is this,

CAN you imagine we started off with limited capital and launch our trading with only 3 guitars?

Yup just 3 as you see beside. The photo is the real thing and real life. Well life's hard, frankly speaking. Lots of sacrifice have to be made, but i believe in " There's no such thing as Nothing for something" Although it's not a famous law or teaching , for me it's rule number 1. The more you put in, it will give back. The more people laugh at what you are doing you will have bigger desire to put more. Hence the return is huge. With just 3 guitars on stand, we worked from that profit until today, we have 2 stores containing 20+ guitars each. and looking forward to bring more in.
Luck?
NO... it's hard work. Being able to do the same things everyday by increase of difficulty each time we do it. It's like playing Tetris in the older times where every level will add speed and it's never gonna end.
Patience and believe in what you do is crucial. If you don't believe who is?

We made it from 2 brothers to a family of musicians here in Music Star Academy, not because we have the values as i said above but also what we give. We always believe in giving more to our customers and students and with their trust in us, We are what we are today.

I would like to thank all of you who supported us and believe in us all these years.

We will continue to bring more great future in music for you and your future.

Do you see it coming?

2013-07-22T18:49:00.001-07:00

After the rain Sun and thunder, our first flag had seen it all. Now It's time for a new flag to continue to represent the school where we provide our best education for musicians all around.
Yes, we are here. Always have..

Music Star Academy coming along the new year

2013-07-21T07:34:00.001-07:00

July 2013 - Music STAR Academy, finishing our 2 years and 8 months

Getting ready to proceed with our third year and preparing for our fourth year. Many have learned and many have gone through, we are growing and learning on every step of the support you guys have given , just like in life. Every ups and downs provides us lessons to be learnt.

Students to us are like brothers and sisters alike, we give our 110% on every lesson and make sure you gain on every lesson and together find solutions to you musical difficulties. We made that promise and forever will provide such professionalism .

Recently we launched " Star Shirt" , which is a black t shirt with the MSA logo in front putting the star near our hearts to represent that music comes from our hearts and expression and we are committed to provide students with our best . The bold word " I'm a Musician" is crossed in our backs , because we are musicians. Every student here will be a all well rounded musician.

With much challenges up ahead we will and we will still provide the best music education to everyone here.

Thank all of you for supporting and ever learning music.

Prog Album Must Hear & Download

2012-08-31T07:42:00.004-07:00

Have you guys been bored listening to the same old stuffs, I know some hardcore genre fans will denied the fact of being bored at the favorite genre but HEY, come on. Will you? be bored? sometimes? Hearing that same riff with some alteration in the next song? Same stuff with different ways?

I do, for me Music is VERY BIG, Why Limit it? Yes i have my favorites, but it don't stop me from listening to others and understanding them. It sometimes make you love your favorite genre more.
I start listening to Oldies then to Boybands, to Pop songs in the radio until i end up in Grunge. After that I turn to hardcore in Metal genres. But i turn to Blues and then Jazz, from there i got to Bossa Nova and new age, the classic fingerpicking blues to environment music. I even have cds of sitar and Tabla recordings, the middle east folk songs. Man i can go all day all night. My ears have been very good taken care of.

SO what i'm going to share with you guys today is a bunch of old cds i took off my old rack. Oh yes. The prog years.... I have been so crazy for them...Prog is the ultimate time where musician taken composition to the highest limit, shows you where no man can go, or thought possible. My vocab for Prog maybe ain't that big but i can share with you some to start off with.

Opeth - Watershed

Man i love this album, It's sophisticated, mature and dark. Mikael's dissonant chords in a major is dark and gruesome. Don't even mentioned his vocals in this. The songs are well arranged and i really love the classical guitars in this. The whole album is a killer.

Pink Floyd - Dark side of the moon

70's great album, what can say about pink floyd? Legendary, starting off with the clocks ding aling... I can't forget it all. It's like a journey when you listen to this album, David's bending makes me goosebumps...

Dream Theater - Trains of thought

Students from Berkeley Music school, form the best band of all time. Portnoy's drums and Petrucci's shredding, change my world completely. John Myung's bass is amazingly awesome. If you listen to this with earphones you might not want to take them off until you have reached the end of this album, superb sounding with time changes and super shreds!!

YES - Fragile

STEVE HOWE ! I really love classical guitar arrangements here, it makes me smile everytime i listen to this album, "we are heaven " Is one of my favorite tracks here. If you're lost in life This album will bring you back in track and go along, really i tried it!

Tool - 10000days

Yes! poly rhythmic guitars and wonderful vocals, everytime you listen to it, it'll be different. it just blow my mind away.

Well that a little to start off listening to strange music, easy to understand then to straight off listening to bands like, Genesis, King Crimson, Gentle Giant, Van Der Graaf and all...

Listen and blow your mind!

The Journey Begins

2012-08-27T06:47:00.000-07:00

Since I have decided to take the
New Grade 8 Guitar exams from Rockschool,
(which is a difficult decision before of my tight scheduled of running MSA, teaching my students and being a superdad & husband.)
Why not share my journey here, so you guys can see my results and preparation. The journey will be fun and we will learn along the way. SO if you guys are up to the challenge ,

Go GET A Grade 8 book and LET's ROCK 'N ROLL!!!!!

SO first, as my style of completing this exam i'll go by my WAR PLAN..lol (gangnam style!)

So here's the plan,
1) Set the goal .
2)Set the time range & plan the strategy to achieve the goal .
3) Prepare for war according to strategy set.
4) WAR!

Simple? haha Sun Tzu Art of War!!! Now it's all about achieving the goal, nothing personal needed.

OK! let's see what is our goal.

I can choose to have Graded Exam or Performance Exam, Graded is more overall and performance is just "performance i guess" as graded exam you need to have technical exams , Quick study pieces and ear test which for me it's more challenging than to just play 5 songs and call it done. It's better to kill the bigger boss if we want to proof something right?

SO my decision: Graded EXAM.

Graded Exam:
3 songs
Technical Exercises
QSP
Ear Tests
GMQ

So the goal is to have distinction!!
In order to have distinction- i need to have 90+ for marks.

Which is 18 marks for each song
13 marks in Technical
9+ in QSP
9+ in Ear test
5 in GMQ.

THAT"S The Goal.

SO what's after this?

SOng selection!!!

You can do it, If you believe YOU CAN!

-Dennis

MUSIC STAR ACADEMY - 1 YEAR 8 MONTHS

2012-07-21T07:50:00.002-07:00

If Music Star Academy is a baby, she can now walk and run. Jump and scream, swipe ipads and dance around to nursery songs. She can eat rice and take solid meat. She will enjoy nature and point at birds.
So many achievements did Music Star Academy done, I'm like a proud father looking at it. Even the road is still far and more to come, the confidence to sprout like a giant tree.
If you guys still remember in November 2010, Melaka flagged a new music school. Now It's all grown up, now let me update you with what we have done, (ps: we're not lazy guys sitting in the shop waiting for customer to come...lol...)

1) We opened another branch in Bukit Beruang, now we have centres in Malim Jaya and Bukit Beruang.
2) We grew from 5 students in November 2010 to 145 students in July 2012. yay!
3) We grew from 3 music Teachers to a total of 15 teachers. (feel the power)
4) We now holding Tanglewood , Spear & Woodies guitar Hanger in Stores.Pairing with Music Master Studio.
5) We are providing our own syllabus for Guitar, Bass , Ukulele & Drums.
6) We have our in house examination.
7) We hold Rockschool exams in Melaka.
8) We held School tours all over Melaka.
9) We give talks on Guitars and musicianship topics to schools.
10) We make you believe in us and grow together.
11) We provide corporate's music clubs lessons and certification.
12) We provide group & intense lessons to Universities.
13) We did a contest and giving free guitars.

These are what i can think of what we did so far.... I guess we did more than this.
What will we do in future?

Not promising anything right now, but it's all a secret. LOL....

But it all come down to you guys, ever supporting, ever believing in us. This is what makes us going and make us standing strong to provide you guys and future musician the true and unique guidance from all of us here in MUSIC STAR ACADEMY.

We will

We WILL

WE WILL ROCK YOU!!

Thanks a million.
-Dennis Y

Being a Music Teacher

2012-07-07T04:04:00.001-07:00

People thought being a music teacher is the same as being a academic teacher in school, but yes for the teacher who teaches music theory in school where everything is in the textbooks and corrected via an answer book. What I mean is a Music Teacher, the ones that teaches Piano and guitars,instruments…etc.

Music teachers need to be different, because music is very sensitive; it’s very hard to put to words when you want to teach something to the students that relate to emotion.

How can you tell your student what emotion they should be feeling when they are playing Ode to Joy?

The feeling of Joy? How will you describe the feeling of joy that you intended for them to feel? The joy of love? The joy of victory? The joys of having your enemy destroy? Do they even know how to feel when they play a tune like “Now & Forever”? as for a 12 years old kid, do they even felt a heartbreak with a girlfriend/boyfriend when they are playing some sad love song?

Everything needs to be very personal; a music teacher needs to get personal with their students. They need to know how they feel things if not 100% but at least 56% on their point of view in things. Because what the teacher teaches or educate will affect the student’s whole journey in learning the subject. If the teacher starts on a bad foot, the student will even hate the guitar.

For me, the most challenging part to teach is the groove, in playing music in any instrument. If you don’t get the groove, you don’t get anything even if you can play Beethoven’s moonlight Sonata perfectly that you don’t miss a note. If you don’t have the groove you missed it all. Getting someone to have groove is the upmost important thing that a music teacher needs. But unfortunately, most of the teachers that I find here, neglects that. They teach what is in the books and make the student pass exams without even telling them who is Bob Marley and the history of Reggae when they are playing a reggae tune for an exam. The student may have passed the exam, but they pass with an empty heart. Only on the outside you may see them playing music but in the inside… There’s nothing. This will always lead to giving up on music and do not care at all for the students when they reach a certain point. But for a student that contains the meaning of music, they will have music in their life until they breathe the last air in this world.

Hand Craft Guitars

2012-05-12T21:24:00.001-07:00

Looks like i'm getting hot on the weird guitars...LOL...well i guess it's just me..I Love weird things.
Hence weird guitars!!..
When i was 4 i favorite cartoon hero is Skeletor or Mumm Ra

Skeletor from He Man

It's not the hero i am interest in but the villain...why? coz there rocks! How cool is a skull face man? haha
WEIRD right?
ok today i am about to show you hand crafted one of a kind guitars. The one that few factory will mass produce coz it's weird to be commercial.
They have to be hand crafted to put in more soul...creepy?

Mumm Ra from Thundercats

SO
you
GUYS
Ready?

In Malaysia it's hard to get people to craft the guitars if you know any hardcore crafted that got passion about crafting guitars and it's good.. Drop me a line.. ok?

Chlutu?

Alien on your guitar?

I think i would take months to craft this if he is doing it for part time. LOL..

This is the famous George Lynch skeleton guitar. He mentioned that this guitar is not playable. HAHAHA

Some Fantasy stuffs can be put on.

Ok, Enough?

SO here's the last thing..

Can anyone tell me how to PLay this thing?

CHEERS!!

Must Hear & Download May 2012

2012-05-02T03:55:00.001-07:00

Ok, I always wanted to do this but it doesn't come to mind.
Yesterday my student ask me to recommend for hearing and it just "POPS OUT"
Well here you go, the top 5 ..
You guys may leave a comment or send an email to include your recommend track which i'll post in the next
"MUST HEAR N DOWNLOAD"!!!

Number 1)

Al di Meola - Race with Devil on Spanish Highway

Number 2)

Jason Becker - Perpetual Burn

Number 3)

Animals as Leaders - Cafo

Number 4)

Freak kitchen - Nobody´s laughing

Number 5)

Peter Green w/ John mayall's bluesbreakers - The Peter Green - The Stumble

Well Hope you guys enjoy the Guitar Stuffs!!

More next time!!

TA TA!!

How Many Necks do you Need?

2012-04-30T08:42:00.000-07:00

Guitarist Are somewhat weird peoples, They like more than they need. They eat more than they can chew.
And the greatest thing is, They Want more guitars then they can play... But to get more weird ...even
back to the Renaissance... They made multi neck lutes.. SO today we have 12 neck guitars?

I mean can you imagine playing this thing? How are you going to hang it around your neck?

CARZY? MAD? AMAZING? WEIRD? RIPLEY?

Believe it or not ? Guitarist is crazy to this level... Like Pantera said, "A WHOLE NEW LEVEL"

Ok, reality is guitarist want more than 1. so we have 2 necks guitar, 3 neck and the it goes...

Some may have 12strings for 1 neck and a 6 on the other, some may have a mandolin on the upper part and a bass on the lower.

Imagination may go wild with this stuffs, you may just need a RM10k Credit Card to customize. LOL....

Heavy? Well this guy from CHeap Trick don't mind playing it for years on stage.

Just more photos that i found on the net to keep your mind go wild just for this once... Pamper yourself...ok?

this is Vai's thing...WOW WOW WOW T_T

This is FAMOUS, Michael Angelo Batio!!

Now the question is, will you have once for once in your life?

Will I Have one??? gotta ask my wife...lol....

FB COVER DESIGNING CONTEST!!!

2012-04-30T08:13:00.002-07:00

YES THIS GUITAR YAMAHA F-310!!!!!

Brand NEW!!

Here's How to Win This Guitar!
All you need to do is to design a Facebook Cover For Music Star Academy.
Rules are simple.
1) Like Music Star Academy
2) Design a BMP/PNG/JPEG file in 850 X 310px.Must Include Music Star Academy wording or Logo.
3) Send over to musicstaracademy@gmail.com
4) Ask all of your friends to like MSA FB pages and like the design when we post it here.
5) The Design with the most "like" will take the guitar home.
6) No copyright infringement. Please make sure that all elements strictly adhere to international copyright law.
7) No advertisements should be contained in the template.
8) Keep it kid-friendly and “safe for work”.
9) This contest end on 1st June 2012, 11:59pm.

10) Employees of MSA and hired freelancers hired by MSA are not eligible to enter this contest. By submitting a design you are agreeing to license your work to MSA, and MSA have all rights to use it for any purpose. Designs submitted after June 2nd, 2012 at 12:00 am EST will not be eligible for this contest.There will only be 1 winner for the prize mentioned. The rules, judging criteria, and other items may be adapted, edited or removed without notice.

Acoustic Guitar FAQ..

2012-03-05T01:40:00.000-08:00

Dudes!!

How r you guys....??
Doing good? Rocking out? or Having a blasting time playing your Guitar?

Well, i have a story to tell. One of my students here in MSA is so into his guitar that he broke his guitar's neck during the night, lol.. because he slept with his guitar.....Fell and there you go....
HAHAHAHA funny, (i do slept with my guitar when i was young,oppss...)

OK, i have many questions about acoustic guitars lately...

How to buy a good acoustic guitar?
What is Solid top?
What is Quilted maple?
IS the bigger the body the better?
What is jumbo size?
What are nylon strings?
What is Parlor guitar?
Is there a 12 string guitar?

So i hope i can clear some of these things out, coz yes i answer all of them because i 'm consider a Guitar freak that take the guitar trivia very seriously... I mean VERY VERY SERIOUS.
HA HA HA..OK!

Solid Top:
SOlid top means that the top of the guitar body i mean the soundboard is made of a solid wood, which also means that it is a whole piece of wood originally and not laminated wood. Laminated wood = plywood of woods that glued together. So solid spruce ( wood from a pine like tree) are the famous tops that is used for acoustic guitars. The longer you use solid tops it will likely to have better tone as the wood gets older like wine... So the glue of laminated wood will cut the mid of tone sounds and imagine if you have an all solid construction of guitar. You'll move a tree when you play the guitar!!...

12 strings:
The mystery of the 12 strings, No you do not need 8 fingers to play the 12 strings. It is just 6 strings divided into 2 finer strings. So you will fret 2 strings together as you would fret 1 string in a normal 6 string. You will get a chorus like sound when you play the 12strings.you Dig?

Jumbo body & Parlor:
We have a few famous body type of acoustic guitars, we have a Dreadnought, 38" , Cutaways, Jumbos and Parlors.. Of course there are more, but these are the famous ones. Jumbos will have a big bottom body and parlors are small medieval type of guitars. SO every different shape will give you a different tone.

Quilted & flamed Maple Tops:
Just like solid tops, it is a decor top of the guitar. Just like the ones use in PRS's electric guitars. Like Tiger stripes = flame maple. Some guitars have quilted maple sides and backs and uses a spruce solid top. A very very beautiful combination. Makes any GAS infected personell drool over each guitar they see and hope one day of a huge guitar collection.

Truss Rod:
A metal stick inside your neck , you use it to setup the neck's tension. When your guitar go buzzing like a bee, it's time for a setup and adjust the rod. But pls bare in mind if you make big adjustments you might break a neck...Ouch..!

Tips on buying a Good Acoustic Guitar:
1) Make sure the guitar is not pregnant when you are going to buy it.- Some guitars are poorly kept or being kept too long with high tension on the strings.The bridge may seems like being pull off,hence the guitar body looks pregnant.

2) Low Action: -Pls do not buy a high action guitar. Might hurt your fingers and it will be like fighting Tyson when playing it...

3)Look out for the solid top if it mentioned, Look at the sides of the soundhole. You can see the grain all the way in if it's a solid top. If Not , Dont Get Conned!!

Well ...Thats all i can help on the input of buying and clearing some Acoustic Guitar WOnders...

Hope it helped and if you have any more questions pls do drop me a mail here...

musicstaracademy@gmail.com

Or just post it at Facebook...

So long!!

Ok check this out...
You GOT SEE BEFORE
7 string Classical guitar meh???
Kena pawn right???

UKULELE STILL NOT OVER!!!!

2012-02-20T15:49:00.000-08:00

Hi FOlks!!

How has it been? You guys tried out an Ukulele yet?

I have been posting about ukuleles last month and yes i do apologized that it is not ENOUGH!! lol..

Anyway it's because of MSA's heavy heavy metal duties and task on hand... but i promise you guys i will

I WILL keep posting blogs on time...!! if not i'll slap myself ...lol

joking..

Oh rite!!, today i am goin to let you know that we have tons of ukulele in store for you guys...

So do come and test....

Yes, beautiful ya? I put on the hangers myself... oh well you know me.. I like to DIY my on shop not because i don't wanna pay someone else to do it, but i do like to build anything from 0%. (workaholic!!)

and yes if your asking i took the photo myself too with my 30D EOS DSLR.....

So what are you guys waiting for???

Come on DOwn to MUSIC STAR ACADEMY!!!!!!!!!

UKULELE GRADS!!!

2012-01-10T06:43:00.000-08:00

Everything a teacher wanted most is his/her student to love and excel in the subject they were taught..

After every 30-45 min of hard work... The adult class of Ukulelists completed their Debut course...
And this group class only have 3 months to do it and they nailed it!!

Congrats!!!!

Holding their Certs.....with full of joy!!

NEXT????

Starting Ukulele All Girl band????

- Dennis Y

UKULELES WHY UKULELES!!!!

2012-01-09T06:50:00.000-08:00

Hi folks....!

How are you guys doing? miss me? i have not blog here in MSA for more than 3 months and now i'm back.
Before we go any further i would like to introduce a new blogger to MSA, JJ Phang !!!!
From now on... we will sign off on our blogs so you guys know which dude is blogging!! The more the merrier!!

Ok.... Now my new Instrument of Choice!!!!!!

UKULELE

Why? well you guys know how i love art...and crafts... Ukulele have not being my favorite until i discover the arts on one... I mean OMG... have you guys seen any ukuleles with art on it???

Now you guys get what i'm saying???

Look at how cool this Ukes are!!! I do not own these ukes but i would love to share it to you guys...

I even dream of owning ukuleles like this after seeing all these on 1 night...

After that i got uke and go crazy learning it, and because i'm a guitarist, i picked up the Uke pretty fast...

and oh yeah...stop crapping and look at these babies...

You what guys i'm just going to shut the hell up and you guys just relax and enjoy the lovely ukuleles that i collected(picture only) so far....

By just these photos i'm sure i get you inspire to get one Ukulele and start strumming some songs...

-Dennis Y

UKULELE COURSE NOW ON!!!!

2012-01-08T04:33:00.000-08:00

WHAT ARE YOU GUYS WAITING FOR????

2012-01-02T16:01:00.000-08:00

IT"S NOW HERE!!!!!!
MORE INFO COMING UP!!!!

Happy 2012!

2011-12-31T03:12:00.000-08:00

Wishing everyone a good year ahead! 2012 is going to be a cool year!!

New challenge! New guitars! New effects! New musics! New movies! and New stories!

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS WE SHARE OUR OWN MADE CALENDAR WITH EVERYONE HERE!!

Everything will have its GOOD start and it will be the GOOD thing if you perceive it with a GOOD sight !!

Let us roughly recap what we had done in 2011:

1.

Music Learning Camp Tour to Schools!!

Provided group Classes in other Institutions such as MMU and also companies such as Cargill and etc..

OUR NEW BRANCH IN BUKIT BERUANG IS ESTABLISHED!!

address: 669 F1, Jalan Bukit Melaka 1/1, Taman Bukit Melaka, Bukit Beruang. 75450 Melaka.

GOOD YEAR AHEAD! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

NEW SHOP COMING TO TOWN

2011-08-31T19:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, It’s been a while I know… and I apologized for it. I have been buzy preparing stuffs for our!!!

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NEW MUSIC STAR ACADEMY !!!

Hurray! Hurray! We have not been ayear and yet we open a new branch? Are you guys crazy? Lots of people said that….You guys must be nuts!

Actually we’re not, this business is so good no one even trust it! They say Dennis, you need to do lots of stuff you know in order to survive a music store , you need to have this you need to have that, it’s lot of hard work, you need to do 2 jobs for security and etc etc etc etc etc etc…..

Oh well, Teck Chai and me have no problems dealing with the hard work and doing all the stuffs and 2 jobs and maid’s work, instead we feel pumped up in doing so!! We loved to be over work , we love it so much it blasted our adrenaline so hard we shiver the whole time through and end with a good tea Tarik!!

NOW, we are open in Bukit Beruang!!! YES we are now in MALIM JAYA and also BUKIT BERUANG!!

Bringing all the gears and accessories closer to you guys and the most important, we are bring value to you nearer than what you can imaging!!! The lessons we are giving, the pure musicianship we are bringin to you, The Guitars! The drums! The Bass! The piano! The rock ! the Blues ! the jazz! And if I follow anymore I will used up all the space!!!

So you guys that have been living in Bukit Beruang!! Yes you!! Wanna rock like Van Halen or just play the blues like John Mayer!!! Or even Play classical guitar!! Come on over to

MUSIC STAR ACADEMY

Dennis – 012 3607139

Frank Marino - Reborn Jimi?

2011-08-06T20:15:00.000-07:00

Born Francesco Antonio Marino in the 1954, Blues Rocker Guitarist - Frank Marino of a band he named himself after the vivid sensation of LSD effects " Mahogany Rush" is claimed by most people "REBORN" again as Jimi Hendrix !!!!

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Never heard of this story ya? Yup ! That's why MSA blog is here to inform and educate you loyal MSA dudes of any and every guitar stories around ....so you can show off your knowledge in school or university or workplace and be proud of it.. ROTFL!!!!!

Alrite Alrite..... I'll cut back to the story...

I have heard many stories of come back of great guitarist that experience near death in life. All the stories are about the same, a dude that don't play well , a nobody and suddenly some accident happened and suddenly he can play like a Guitar God.

Ok, Frank Marino..... a nobody that is addicted to LSD like most hippies are at that era of 60's or 70's . Got too much and have to depend on hospital medical care to survive, and at that time while he was semi awake, he saw the spirit of Jimi Hendrix walk into his ward and jump right into his body, later the next morning he woke up and began to play the guitar just like jimi hendrix and don't even understand how or why?

Jimi Hendrix really in him? true or not i will choose to be true.

Coz i'm a person that like icings on the cake, it's more meaningful and exciting rather then the boring truth.

Anyway true or not, Frank Marino's skill on the guitar is unbelievable, he shreds and influences many great guitarist such as The Mighty Zakk Wylde!!!!

Watch these videos to check out!!!

Guitars and their Stories - Hofma HM-33

2011-08-03T04:20:00.000-07:00

After servicing so many guitars....I found out 1 thing.
Every Guitar has a story of it's own. Cheap or expensive , New or old..
Every guitar is unique in it's every way even the same model, just like us Humans,
same but different.
Guitars even the same model are made from different trees and also different parts of the tree.
Like every human, they have a story of their own....

Click on this video for the sound !!!!

This recording is solely recorded with this guitar, without any plans.
This 1 shot tune just came out directly from the guitar's soul. I'm just a messenger. You can hear the sorrowfulness of good bye as it need to depart with it's owner......

Recently i got an old Hofma electric guitar from a friend.
He sold it to me because he wanted to change his life, leaving everything and start new.
When he looked at it for the last time, i can see it in his eyes. The sadness behind, it was the sadness moment for him that day leaving his first acoustic guitar, his Red Hofma electric guitar and his beloved Samick Bass.
When i got the guitar, it was beaten down. The strings are rusty and some are lost.

It got neglected not because of none use but time....the owner's time prevent their partnership.
Faith is done with them and it's now handed over to me, i clean it up , stringed it and adjusted it to it's perfect form.

When i plugged it in, it was perfect. I was shocked how good this guitar is.
Now awaiting for it's new owner,yup we thought we were the survivor... but these guitars see us come and see us go. I wonder how short we have in life now....

The model name was HM-33 , Hofma brand.
Serial number 9821001 on the back of the neck, the frets are still in good shape.
24 frets?? This guitar is awesome.
Candy red finishing with ding and dang here and there of it's age.
3 single coil pickups and an unusual pickup selector , 3 on/off switches.
1 Volume , 1 tone and a tremolo bar still in good shape.

Now this guitar is waiting for a new owner, even if i'm letting this Red Hofma go, i would need to know who and is he worthy of having this Red.

Guitarist's Ultimate EGO - The Guitar Solo!!

2011-08-01T01:57:00.000-07:00

When i was in my teen's... the only awesome thing to do is The Guitar Solo!
When jammin' the only time that gives the juice of it all is the time to execute this ultimate skill.
When done, you will be loved and be treated as a god if your guitar solo ROCKS.
The whole band doesn't matter any more as long as you got a great guitarist that can solo, because his solo can save the band.....

This is when everything screws up...

When the guitarist is treated special becoz of "HIS SOLO" he will be the most arrogant person the world can lay eyes on.
He will then spend more time on practicing Tech and Circus stunts rather than practice as a band and do his 20% role in a band, "in his mind , he is the 100% of the band".
The most important Guy in the band, without him the band is unless...becoz beside him... everyones' a noob.

Conclusion?

The band most likely failed and disband. The other players hate him and even not his friend anymore or they would kick him out of the band when they realize the Guitar Rockstar attitude is comin and they foreseen a disband.

The guitarist is weak in playing songs becoz he is spending too much time practicing tech's like sweeping picking, alternate picking etc....until he got no time to learn and write songs which are the most important thing in playing music... what he wants is public attention that he is a great guitarist.....
This guitarist might be enemy of others, because of the "I'm the only best guitarist Attitude"

We can all learn from this situation....
A band = A team
to succeed and being the best winning team you need no Rockstar.
in every team sport, there's no one rockstar that can win the game alone.
It takes the whole team working together to able to get to the top.
Richie Blackmore got kicked out from Deep Purple because of the Ego of his virtuosity.
Malmsteen kick a grandmother in a plane because she is in her way.
Guitarist is that Bad?

Anyway you guys can think of it.... true or not... I'm still guessing (finger crossed)

A collection of Guitar solo's from the greats....

Exploder - by Akira Takasaki (Loudness)

Eruption - by Eddie Van Halen

Frenzy - by Paul Gilbert

Zakk Wylde Acoustic Solo

So What is YOUR SOLO?