Daring techno-electronica duo FATMAGIC have just released a brand-new single “Hola Rey“. (Available on iTunes and many other download sites.) Internationally recognized for their unique brand of dance music and bold musicianship, FATMAGIC is Madmax Fiddler on NS violin and programming, and Radina Tara Vel on NS cello and vocals. In 2011, NS Design customized a CR5 violin and a CR4 cello with unique white finishes to fit the band’s image.
Bassist, producer, composer, and arranger Pepe Hernandez stopped by our booth at this winter’s NAMM show, and we were delighted to meet him after his years of great performances with our instruments.
We were even more delighted to get a prototype of our forthcoming NS Bass Guitar into his hands. Hearing him bring this new instrument to life was a magical experience!
Pepe has played in the biggest venues in the U.S., Latin America, China, and Japan, including Madison Square Garden, The Universal Amphitheater, The Greek Theater, Lincoln center, Radio City Music Hall, The John Hancock Center, Estadio Asteca, and Auditorio Nacional, to name a few. He collaborates and shares stages with the greats of the jazz world and beyond. As a record producer and session musician, he has helped create over 400 records.
We are thrilled to welcome Pepe as an endorsing artist!
Justin Gray has spent the past six years studying Indian classical music with Guru Shantanu Bhattacharryya in Kolkata, India. He first traveled to India with an electric bass guitar, as it was impractical to bring a full-sized upright bass. Discovering the NXT4 double bass gave Justin the opportunity to explore arco (bowed) performance within the Indian classical idiom. Bowed instruments are commonly used in India, and at last he had a highly playable instrument with a rich tone that was also easily portable.
Justin sent us this video from India, describing his experiences with the NXT:
And be sure to watch this great clip of his playing. We’re thrilled to welcome Justin as an NS Design endorsing artist and we look forward to more of his music!
Justin writes:
This is NS artist Justin Gray writing from India. This past year, it has been my great pleasure to join the NS family and start using the NS NXT 4 string bass for Indian Classical musical study and performance. It has really been a dream come true to have this instrument with me for my touring and studies here in India.
I would like to share a bit of my background as an artist, and also how I came to using the NS NXT bass, as I believe it may help to inspire other artists who are searching for an electric/travel upright bass that can give them the tone they deserve.
Joined by a star-studded cast of musicians–Charles Yang, Eugene Friesen, DaXun Zhang, Jeremy Cohen, Julie Lyonn Lieberman, and many others—NS Design made a big splash at the American String Teachers Association conference last week in Atlanta. Visitors to the NS booth sampled coming attractions to our product line, including the fretted NXT and CR violins. Cellists explored the innovative support systems available for the CR and NXT cellos, including the frame strap system, which enables full mobility while playing. Several double bass players laid down their acoustic instruments to test-drive our electric upright basses, with their small footprint and big sound. And all players marvelled at the tone and control provided by the Polar™ pickup system–the technology at the heart of our instruments.
DaXun Zhang, professor at the University of Texas at Austin, put the CR4M double bass through its paces with a sampling of his brilliant classical repertoire, to the delight of booth visitors. NS endorser Charles Yang performed jazz duets with violinist Jeremy Cohen (check out this great video from Woodwind and Brasswind!).
And NS artists Julie Lyonn Lieberman (NXT4 Violin) and Berklee College of Music faculty member Eugene Friessen (NXT5 Cello) performed at the booth and helped many young players get their first taste of playing electric strings.
NS instruments deliver outstanding performance both in the out of the spotlight. Two NS bassists (both playing the CR5M electric upright bass) have distinguished themselves in great performances under the stage — in the orchestra pit.
Anthony Cooperwood, until recently bassist for Cirque du Soleil’s “Dralion” show, sent us this fascinating night-vision video of his performance in the orchestra pit underneath the acrobats. Unlit except for the occasional flash of a spotlight, Anthony shreds in lockstep with the rest of his ensemble in their unique performance.
Also this week, NoTreble.com featured an online profile of NS artist Jonathan Moody. A versatile multi-instrumentalist, Moody performs in the Kalamazoo, Michigan area, where he is a first-choice bass player for musical theater productions and also provides consulting assistance to musical directors. Moody’s versatility comes from his diverse musical background:
Never one to turn down a gig in his younger years, Jon found himself playing funk, rock, jazz, dixieland, and even backed a bell choir and polka band. Drawing from his experiences has given Jon a unique voice on the instrument, the ability to sit in the background and fully support the style he is performing, and yet keep a whimsical attitude present in every note he plays.
We are pleased to welcome composer and cellist Rubin Kodheli as an endorsing artist. Kodheli plays the NS CR5 cello.
Displaying a prodigious talent for the cello beginning at age 7, Kodheli pursued his studies in his native Albania, Belgium, Germany, and eventually at the Juilliard School in New York. At Juilliard, he began composing music for theater and dance collaborations, and went on to pursue a career as a composer. His music has appeared in the feature film Precious; in the documentary Third Wave, about the 2004 Tsunami; and in the award-winning dance film Becoming. On television, his music has also featured in the HBO series True Blood.
In addition to his solo performances, Kodheli leads the New York-based avant-rock band Blues In Space. A reviewer said Kodheli’s performance with the band “transcends the mold of the classically trained string player, showing off a smirkingly vast knowledge of metal licks and an ability to transpose guitar voicings to the cello”.
VIDEO: Rubin Kodheli performs his composition “Jungle” on the NS CR5 cello, with the Ossia Chamber Players.
In addition to the NS Bass Guitar, NS Design introduced prototype fretted versions of the CR violin and the NXT violin at the 2012 NAMM show in January. NS Design is currently accepting orders for four- and five-string models of these instruments. Violinists praised the prototype models’ easy playability, and commented upon the instruments’ pizzicato performance, noting that the frets gave significantly more sustain to plucked notes. We expect these instruments to become available in mid-2012. Be sure to join our mailing list and “like” our Facebook page to get the latest news!
The 2012 NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) trade show in Anaheim, California, is one of the largest international events in the industry, and it’s a great preview of what each company in the music business is doing for the coming year. This year’s show was a particularly successful and exciting one for NS Design. We brought several prototype instruments to the show and were heartened by the enthusiastic response they received from players and the press.
Making its debut at the show was a prototype of the new NS Bass Guitar—designed by Ned Steinberger and built by luthier Jonathan Kelsey. We brought two 5-string versions to the show for player feedback—one fretted, the other fretless. Enthusiasm for the instrument soon spread to the public and the press. Premier Guitar Magazine honored the bass as an “Editor’s Pick” of the show, and Bass Gear Magazine designated it “Best of Show”.
Several excellent video interviews were generated at the show. NoTreble.com published this overview of the instrument and a video interview with Ned Steinberger. Here are a couple other great videos showcasing the instrument.
Custom editions of the NS Bass Guitar, hand-built in Maine by luthier Jon Kelsey, will be available late Spring of 2012. Standard production models, which will be made in the Czech Republic, are expected in Fall of 2012. Details will be announced as these come closer to actual production.
The 2012 NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) trade show in Anaheim, California, is one of the largest international events in the industry, and it’s a great preview of what each company in the music business is doing for the coming year. This year’s show was a particularly successful and exciting one for NS Design.
Sean O’Bryan Smith (NXT4 double bass) sent us this new video of his jazz group Kazhargan World. We absolutely love the tone Sean gets with the bass in this recording. Kazhargan World is a virtual collaboration, created by musicians recording in Russia, Europe, and across the U.S.
Through the open gestures of talented artists from around the globe Kazhargan World is born. With a love for unity and the furthering of jazz, a unique combination of musical talents took on the distinct challenge of creating world class jazz while never being able to interact in the same room. For generations this concept seemed futile but in truth it was only waiting for the right people to accept the challenge. From Russia to Germany to across the United States of America the artists laid out their hearts and their souls for music that was bigger than them and all about heart and sounds and jazz. As the residents of Kazhargan World we invite you in and we hope you enjoy.
—Sean O’Bryan Smith
We’re also looking forward to seeing Sean and another of his jazz groups, Polcat, at the NAMM trade show in Anaheim, CA, at the end of next week.
2011 was a terrific year, and Ned Steinberger and the entire NS Design team want to say thank you, and give a shout out, to all the great artists who inspired us along the way. This includes big thanks to Tony Levin, Les Claypool, Sean O’Bryan Smith, Eric Mingus, Tony Cimorosi, Laurie Anderson, Charles Yang, Adam Baldych, John Burgess, Jenn Adams, Jason Yang, Anthony Cooperwood, Jeremy Arrowood, Morwenna Lasko, Matt Osborne, Marc Langis, FATMAGIC, Dr. Gregory Walker, Teresa Jenkins-Russ, Scott Laird, Gary Kuo, Jeff Byrd, Rob Wasserman, Reed Jones, Taylor Hope—among many other exciting and phenomenal players. Check our artist roster to learn more about the wide range of representative artists who make music on our instruments.
Special thanks to those artists who sent us or posted videos of their performances on NS instruments this year. You guys blew our socks off, and we can’t resist sharing a few of these again!
Adam Baldych
John Burgess
Charles Yang
Gustaf Fjelstrom
FATMAGIC
Jason Yang
New NXT Models
Performances like these, and feedback from you, are what inspire us to develop new instruments. This year, we introduced two new models to the NS Design NXT series, which is priced for the working pro and brings the expressive possibilities of electric strings to more musicians than ever before.
Since we introduced the NXT cello almost a year ago, cellists around the world have been discovering the potential of the electric cello. Hand crafted in the Czech Republic from maple and ebony, the NXT Cello features NS Design’s patented Polar™ pickup system and JackPot™ circuitry, and delivers a rich, full tone and an extremely comfortable and versatile stage or studio playing experience.
This great new instrument follows in the footsteps of the NXT bass and cello, offering world-class quality to the violinist who is serious about amplified or studio performance. Featuring NS Design’s Polar™ pickup system and JackPot™ circuitry, the NXT delivers exquisite tone and—as one of the lightest production electric violins in its class—exceptional comfort. It’s the ideal instrument for the working professional and committed amateur alike.
Stay connected in 2012!
This coming year, keep up with exciting news about our instruments and the musicians who play them! Use the links above to follow us on Facebook and be sure to check out our YouTube channel for great performance on some of the coolest electric instruments available today.
National Sales Office : 866 NS DESIGN (866-673-3744 Toll Free)
Bassist, producer, composer, and arranger 
In addition to the NS Bass Guitar, NS Design introduced prototype fretted versions of the CR violin and the NXT violin at the 2012 NAMM show in January. NS Design is currently accepting orders for four- and five-string models of these instruments. Violinists praised the prototype models’ easy playability, and commented upon the instruments’ pizzicato performance, noting that the frets gave significantly more sustain to plucked notes. We expect these instruments to become available in mid-2012. Be sure to join our mailing list and “like” our Facebook page to get the latest news!
Making its debut at the show was a prototype of the new NS Bass Guitar—designed by Ned Steinberger and built by luthier Jonathan Kelsey. We brought two 5-string versions to the show for player feedback—one fretted, the other fretless. Enthusiasm for the instrument soon spread to the public and the press. Premier Guitar Magazine honored the bass as an “Editor’s Pick” of the show, and Bass Gear Magazine designated it “Best of Show”.
