ARTIST APPROVED
Drummer Matt Halpern addresses event attendees at GC’s flagship Hollywood store.
Guitar Center Holds In-Store Event with Drummer Matt Halpern G uitar Center (GC) recently held an exclusive in-store event with Matt Halpern, drummer for the progressive metal band Periphery. The event took place at GC’s flagship Hollywood, Cali- fornia, store on March 6. The session was held in conjunction with GC’s Big Bang drum promotional period celebrating drumming and percussion gear. Halpern took center stage to offer a comprehensive presenta- tion of his gear, offering the audience playthroughs and detailed demonstrations. Throughout the session, he provided an explora- tion of the tools that shape his sound and offered insights into his approach to music-making. Halpern also held a Q&A session, where he shared his expertise on techniques, equipment and his personal journey as a professional musician. An autograph-signing followed the event. {guitarcenter.com}
The violinist, who founded the pioneering string group, Quartet San Francisco, discusses his first instrument, looping stations and his favorite violin in his collection. JEREMY COHEN Music Inc.: What was your first instrument? Jeremy Cohen: My first violin was made by a luthier named Alfio Batelli. He worked for many years in Southern California. I also played a Conn Tenor Trombone in the jazz band in high school. I think that it might have been a 6H. It had me playing jazz and swing in the big band, which started all this crossover playing I’ve been involved with on the violin for so many years. MI: What is your all-time favorite violin, and what makes it stand out from the rest? JC: My main instrument now is a violin made in 1868 by Jean Baptiste Vuillaume. Before it came to me, it was owned by Lou Raderman, the concertmaster of the MGM orchestra from 1939 to 1969. This violin has an amazing legacy and [was used in] every violin solo of every MGM film soundtrack for the MGM years, including ‘Wizard of Oz,’ ‘American in Paris,’ ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ and so many other iconic recordings. MI: What instruments are currently in your arsenal? JC: I’m mostly using my main acoustic violin for recordings [working today at Skywalker Sound] but I do have an ‘old school’ solidbody Zeta electric violin with some effect pedals. I use it when there’s a lot of sound on stage, and I need to compete with things like rhythm sections with big amplifiers. Also, cymbals have a tendency to wash out the natural resonances of the violin, so the electric violin makes things easier. I do also use a Sennheiser E100 wire- less microphone on my acoustic violin when conditions permit. I generally defer to the acoustic, but appreciate the ability to play lightly on the electric violin and let the amplifiers do the work of projecting the sound when it’s appropriate. MI: Are there any new or emerging pieces of gear you’ve recently tried that have caught your attention? JC: Lots of players are using looping stations these days. I find that it’s a lot of fun to play and experiment with these effects. I also find just a few of these [technologies] actually apply well to the violin and string world. — By Kimberly Kapela
Breedlove Reaffirms Commitment to Indie Dealers with New Promotion B reedlove Guitars announced it’s reaffirming its commitment to independent dealers and music stores with its latest promotion. Through April 2025, customers who bought a U.S.-made Breedlove guitar from a dealer received a free Discovery guitar from Breedlove. Because Breedlove doesn’t sell direct, this promotion helped Breedlove dealers sell to customers to who were made aware of the campaign through the brand’s aggressive digital marketing. “Music is about community, and community thrives through real connections between people,” said RA Beattie, Breedlove’s director of marketing. “What better place to build those relationships than a local music store? At Breedlove, we’re proud to support our dealers and hope this promotion inspires consumers to visit, connect and experi- ence their local music community firsthand.” {breedlovemusic.com}
16 I MUSIC INC. I MAY 2025
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