Wendy Wednesday - MSA Featured Local Hero

Yup , MSA is now having a local hero Demo/Album/Single/EP section to expose to all of you loyal readers and customers and musicians or fellow friends to all the great music we have here in our sweet home. Some musicians that you might not know maybe have more great songs of the usual MTV and commercial radios.

So if you have Music for sale ( like a demo or EP) bring it up to MSA or contact us for more details.

Today we are looking a good friend of mine in the journey of music, Wendy Wednesday.

For a girl, i can say she done alot than many mens should be doing.

 Her "Some Songs" cd are available here in MSA.  

But what we really wanna know from her is.....

MSA:Wendy Wednesday.What's the origin of that name? Have you changed the 

band's name before?

WENDY:I was sent to IT camp by my school. We had to open an email account. Couldn't think of what ID name to use; then I thought - hey, it's Wednesday today, it looks kinda similar to my name. And it stuck with me ever since. A few years later I found out I was born on a Wednesday, so I thought, yea, the name's meant to be.

MSA)Could you briefly describe the music-making process?

WENDY:When things happen which make me emotionally abnormal, I'd write out my emotions in paragraphs which would turn into lyrics. I'm the type who writes and writes and writes till I get tired and I'll forget whatever that's happened. And then comes the difficult part - thinking of the melody to fit the words. It's so difficult that most of the words end up as poetry rather than songs.

But I figured another way, which also makes a song sounds better. Hum out a melody with a guitar, and when I'm done with a group of melody, then I'd sing out whatever I felt, and it's a much easier process.

MSA)Which bands have influenced your own personal style?

WENDY:Oasis. And not to forget Jewel and Fional Apple, for their lyrics.

MSA)What's your ultimate direction for you? Are you seeking fame and fortune?

WENDY:Good question. First, it has got to be, having a documentation of me as a proof I existed in this world when I'm no longer around, especially for years to come, if I have descendents. And the way of documentation I thought of, is to record an album. Secondly, I'd like to do what Raine Maida (Our Lady Peace) did for me, speak to me through his lyrics. I'd like to be able to color people's lives with my music. If someone feels happy or connected in times of crisis by my music - well, that's what I would want to achieve.

Fame and fortune - if it comes along, I'd be glad to receive it, I won't lie. But, it's not the most important thing. How do I know this - even if I don't have it, I'll still keep writing.

MSA)How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD?

WENDY:Currently, the EP 'Some Songs' can be found:

digitally - www.myspace.com/wendywednesdaymusic and www.facebook.com/wendywednesday

physically - Music Star @ Melaka, and Ice Music @ Melaka

My album will be arriving soon this year, will keep you updated via my facebook page, via my blog wendywednesday.blogspot.com

MSA)What advice do you have for people who want to form their own bands?

WENDY:There's no wrong or right reasons to be in music. Even when people say you suck, it just means you need more practice. If you feel like doing it, do it. And if you don't feel it's fun anymore, don't force yourself doing it. If it doesn't work out in bands, don't give up, you can always go solo (like my bro told me once - listen to Bryan Adam's Summer of '69)

One of her Tracks on Youtube.

Acoustic OR Electric ????

  Last week i got a customer sending her 12 years old daughter to my shop signing up for guitar class. As usual i brief her about the fees and classes provide for the month and duration of the class while her daughter was sitting there eyes looking around the place, staring at the guitars i have in stock.
Very common situation and scenario for me as i have been good treating customers and i can proudly say that i do have a good level of customer service as i have been working as a customer service for a big company for more than 3 years.

1 of the most common Question that i find interesting is this.

Which is Better?

Acoustic guitar or Electric Guitar?

Some parents or adult students don't understand, the meaning of learning an instrument. To me, either Acoustic guitar nor electric . It's the same.
Really, it's the same if it is a bass guitar or piano or cello or violin or drums or whatever instrument that you can learn to play. The only thing matter most is learning to play MUSIC with it. that's all it's about. There's no better instrument. It's all the same.
The most important to me is whether or not the person that is going to learn have the interest or will to learn it. That is what matter most to me.
I wanna to learn the guitar, any guitar will do. Bass? Acoustic? Classical? Ukulele? i play it all.
So back to reality.....
I answer the parent the most simple answer of all, i looked at her daughter. Smiled and ask her to point me the guitar that she like, she point at an electric guitar. Then i told the Mom, acoustic or electric? it's the same. As long as your daughter is happy learning it, that will the ONE.

Seeing her daughter smiled from ear to ear holding the electric guitar i brought it down from my hangers , The Mom looked satisfied with my answer.

I have been playing, learning , teaching , analyzing , recording the guitar 15 years now and still counting.
If you ask me, What is most important thing you need learning the guitar?
I will answer you " Passion"
Without Passion, you will learn and gain nothing.
A word of advise from Music Star Academy

*** Just to add some stats, my teachers and i have found out that students learning guitar now consist of 80% female. Only 20% of boys learning guitar. What happen to the rest of the boys? PSP? XBOX 360? come on guys!!!

Guitar Hero > Any Good?

Heard this game before? Play this game before?

Before answering PLS watch this video BEFORE you go any further!!

Amazed? Ok in the game there's no nude dude like in this trailer.

When i first got this game it was in the Playstation console. Guitar Hero with a Mohawk guy on the cover. So i load it and started playing. Wow, i played the game for hours like there's no tomorrow. It's basically a rhythm based game where you press the buttons according to the screen telling you when to press it on tempo emulating the guitar notes while your hero is performing behind.

It's so fun cause you got Pantera's Cowboys from Hell! , Dragonforce's Through The Fire & Flames and hell all the songs that will keep your Mojo driving.The later series of the game let you customize a guitarist and also customize your very own guitar from the wood to finishes. For a hardcore Guitarist like me, This game is THE ONE !

The Question

Is it good? Rumors said that it's gonna kill the new generation to stop learning to play the real guitar.

Will it?

Well if you ask me. I think it's going to increase more guitarist in future. This game is exposing the young kids how is it like or how cool it is when you play the guitar. It's something that you can't tell anyone with words. How can you tell someone your feeling when you nailed down a hendrix's tune? Or how you feel when get to solo or while soloing a Van Halen's song? When you get real high tapping triplets on 240Bpm on a heavy metal backing track? 

You CAN'T. You need to do it to feel it.You need to cut into your own skin to feel the pain. Words can't do it alone. When kids play GUITAR HERO, they felt it. They will one day transfer that if not 100% but 60% to the real thing. Jamming on the real thing. 

Frankly, after playing Guitar Hero 80's Rock myself. I learned all the cool songs in the 80's that i never knew.

Then i try it on my guitar. Exposed to me then increase my vocab in music.

How Cool It That?

Playing VS Practicing

 Some students and fellow guitarist asked me why, why ,why ,why ,why they can't seems to improve in their playing? Why i can't get the sweep picking like Malmsteen after hours hours of guitaring ? and i get a lot of , I can't do it. I'm just a normal guitarist, i can't play like that. This is the best i can do.
Let me clarify on this...

All Guitarist Can Do What Others Can!!


The secret behind it? 

From my opinion, It started of from the state of mind.

?????????????????????????????????

Don't understand ? Let Me say it again

It started of from the state of mind.

Everything starts from your mind, = your thinking. How you think and believe.
If you think & believe you can sweep like malmsteen , sure you can after some serious practicing. If you don't believe, you will not ever get there even if you practice for 50 years. Self confidence i would say. Dig it?

After you got your mind set, the second thing is to understand this 2 terms correctly in English.

 Playing Guitar and Practicing Guitar.

Playing Guitar,

Is when you just pickup the guitar and strum or doodle of some tunes in your head. Randomly going through what comes to your mind , translating ideas from mind impulses to the sound of picked/strummed guitar strings. Nothing serious, challenging the creative mind.
What this improve?
Song writing, creative exercises, the interest of the guitar, to be spontaneousness.Create human guitar connections.    


Practising Guitar,


An organize schedule of improving tech or song reps. Practice on given exercises planned to improve a certain skill. Serious. Result based. Building memory to your finger muscle brains and articulations.
What this improve?
Your desired skill/tech/song reps. 

So what did common guitarist don't understand?


Let me tell you what common guitarist suffers from.
They started of practicing what their guitar tutors gives then after they got the 1st 2 to 3 skills they than turn from practicing to playing. 


Lack of determination?


Try applying what i said and observe. Try think practice than playing for now.
Set a goal and be like this...

SO take your time and till then... check out this Blues Singing Poodle.