Running through the career of a professional guitar player, musical entrepreneur and hit songwriter Ace will demonstrate the songs and the techniques that have made him a focused and successful musician, and the band Skunk Anansie worldwide name. And few fun stories too.
Few bassists have shaped the sound of metal like Steve Di Giorgio. Renowned for his jaw-dropping three-finger technique and unmistakable fretless playing, he has left his mark on countless landmark albums, both as a pioneering band member and one of metal's most in-demand session musicians.
In this workshop, Steve dives deep into the art of playing bass in a metal context, exploring the unique role of the fretless bass within the genre. Expect practical insights into right-hand techniques for greater speed, precision, and endurance, along with tone-shaping strategies that help your bass cut through even the heaviest mixes. Whether you're chasing technical mastery or looking to refine your own sound, this is a rare opportunity to learn from one of metal's true innovators.
The Bass Guitar String the most important component of you rig.
Without the string there is no sound the string comes first. So how does the string shape your sound. What in the parameters of
dimension, tension, material, rigidity, corrosion, contamination (ie dirt resistance) etc affects how you interact with your strings in order to
make them sound the way you imagine. This lecture aims to explain how strings can be, and are made in order to influence these parameters
and their impact on sound.
Experience how Anagram, the latest multieffects platform by Darkglass Electronics, can adapt to the needs of each player. In this workshop, Darkglass’ Managing Director Marcos Barilatti will give an overview of the concept behind the Anagram platform, followed by a demonstration by Iván Carranza of how to set up Anagram for different music genres such as punk, hard rock, funk, disco, and more.
In this workshop, Jared Smith shares the secrets behind his jaw-dropping technique, from his approach to tackling the warp-speed riffing of Canadian tech-metal outfit Archspire to the concepts that have helped him develop his own distinctive voice on the bass. He’ll also offer an inside look at his approach to modern metal, while Sheldon Dingwall joins him to reveal some exciting news from Dingwall Guitars.
In this interactive workshop, Sarah Jory opens the door to the world of slide guitar, lap steel and pedal steel. Whether you want to learn how to bring slide sounds into your own playing, understand what makes them so expressive or simply enjoy hearing them performed at the highest level by the world’s No.1 female pedal steel guitarist, this is the place to be.
Sarah will show how slide guitar, lap steel and pedal steel each create their own distinctive sound, sharing practical techniques, tone tips and lessons from decades of live performance. Expect plenty of music, stories from working with Eric Clapton and Sir Van Morrison, and perhaps even a vocal moment from a nine-time BCMA Female Vocalist of the Year.
Presented in a live, band-like setting rather than with backing tracks, the workshop will be highly interactive, with questions and requests for your favourite slide guitar songs warmly encouraged.
Fire, Strings & Stories – Hans Platz of Feuerschwanz and His Firecaster
Join Feuerschwanz guitarist Hans Platz for an exclusive workshop combining live performance, gear insights, and stories from the road.
Hans takes you behind the scenes of life as a professional touring musician, sharing what it takes to build and sustain a career in today's music industry. Through live demonstrations, he'll break down his playing approach, discuss his guitar and live rig, and reveal how his signature Framus Firecaster evolved from the first concept to the instrument he relies on night after night on stage.
Along the way, Hans will share practical advice on tone, performance, touring, content creation, and the realities of being a modern guitarist in 2026. The session concludes with an open Q&A, giving attendees the opportunity to ask anything - from technique and gear to songwriting, touring, and the music business.
Whether you're a guitarist looking for inspiration or a gear enthusiast, Fire, Strings & Stories offers a personal and honest look behind the music, the instrument, and the career.
From DI to Killer Guitar Tone. Recording, Reamping & Mic Placement
Great guitar tone starts long before the mix. In this hands-on workshop, producer and mixing engineer Lasse Lammert breaks down the complete recording process and shows how the choices made at each stage shape the final sound.
Starting with a clean DI signal, Lasse demonstrates correct gain staging, recording-chain setup and practical reamping workflows. He then moves to the amplifier and microphone, showing how even small changes in mic position can dramatically reshape the tone, how to recognize phase issues and how to solve them before they become mix problems.
Metal guitarist Niels Löffler of Orden Ogan joins him live, contributing riffs that put each step into a real playing context. Using direct sound comparisons and real-world studio workflows, the workshop is for guitarists, home recordists and producers who want stronger tones, more confident recording decisions and better results from every session.
Endorsements and Brand Collaborations in 2026 - Inside Modern Partnerships
Endorsements are something many musicians and creatives aspire to, but what do they actually mean, and do you need one in 2026? In this workshop, Ville Tikkanen combines inspiring live guitar performance, with an inside look at the reality behind endorsements and modern brand collaborations, drawing from extensive first-hand experience on a global level. The workshop explores what it’s actually like to work with brands, from first contact to ongoing partnerships, while highlighting common misconceptions and pitfalls. You’ll learn the key do’s and don’ts to approach collaborations strategically while maintaining authenticity and long-term value.
You don't need a $100,000 studio to make killer guitar recordings anymore. Hell, you don't even need to make any noise.
We're going to look at what the modern home guitar studio actually looks like in 2026 — how to get crushing guitar tones completely silently, what NAM A2 means for the future of amps and amp sims, and why this technology is about to seriously disrupt the guitar industry.
But here's the problem: great audio isn't enough anymore.
If you're a guitarist trying to get your music heard, you need to know how to use a camera. You need decent lighting. You need to know how to edit. In other words, the modern guitarist isn't just a musician anymore — you're your own engineer, camera operator, editor, and production studio.
I'll show you how to put all of that together without spending a fortune, annoying your neighbors, or turning your bedroom into Abbey Road.
And hopefully we'll be joined by Neural Amp Modeler creator Steven Atkinson to talk about where this technology goes next.
Unlock the secrets to effortless execution and high-speed precision. In this workshop, renowned guitarist Justin Hombach deconstructs the physical relationship between the player and the instrument. Moving beyond "just practicing more," this workshop focuses on kinesiology and biomechanics—analyzing how your body moves to eliminate tension and break through speed plateaus.
Justin will guide you through the fundamental shift from "trying hard" to "playing smart," ensuring your technique is sustainable, ergonomic, and lightning-fast.
Guitar virtuoso Martin Moro lets you immerse yourself in the sonic possibilities of current and new Takamine models. Experience his concert-style fingerstyle performance at world-class level.
John Park - CEO of Crafter Guitars: From the idea to the market-ready guitar
"From the idea to the market-ready guitar
Step by step, we explain how an idea is turned into a guitar ready for series production. What criteria must be taken into account, what needs to be considered, how are the first prototypes created, and who tests them? Prototypes often have to be made entirely by hand before series production can begin. John Park (CEO from Crafter) will explain the entire process step by step, including the necessary procurement of materials (WOOD, pickups, mechanics) in advance, in a 30-minute presentation.
A handmade prototype will also be on display on stage.
Afterwards, the audience will have time to ask questions to John Park (CEO of Crafter) and he will be on hand to answer questions immediately
Crafter was founded in 1972 and is still a family business in its third generation. With over 50 years of company history, John Park can give us a unique insight into the perspective of one of the largest acoustic guitar manufacturers in the world.
Presentation in English and translated into German.
A German and English brochure will be available for each visitor as well
Setup: 3 minutes.
Teardown: 1 minute."
The Most Natural Sounding Pickup meets Baton Rouge Guitars
How do you bring the best possible acoustic guitar sound to the stage? In his 45-minute workshop, guitarist Phil Adam shows what makes the new Baton Rouge models with the Cole Clark PG3mkII Pickup stand out.
Using a live session, he demonstrates the sonic possibilities of the system and explains in practical terms how natural acoustic sound, dynamics, and projection can be optimally combined. Visitors will also gain exciting insights into the development and functionality of the pickup, as well as valuable tips for use on stage and in the studio.
How does a guitar part become a song?
Mary Spender explores the relationship between guitar playing, songwriting and arrangement, demonstrating how she uses fingerstyle, alternate tunings, rhythm and harmony to develop ideas into finished songs. Using examples from her own music, Mary will break down some of the choices that happen between the first guitar idea and the final performance.
Turkish fretless guitar virtuoso Cenk Erdoğan — a featured artist on Jim Kimo West's 2021 Grammy-winning album "More Guitar Stories," and collaborator with Antonio Forcione on the album "The Storytellers" — demonstrates how the ToneWoodAmp 2 enhances acoustic tone and texture for live performance, drawing on his international career spanning jazz, world music, and film scoring.
Today you have the opportunity to experience two outstanding instruments up close: the Esteve 3CE CD and the Dieter Hopf Modell Virtuoso.
Let us begin with the Esteve 3CE CD – a master guitar from Spain that combines tradition and craftsmanship. With its balanced tonal character, excellent response and warm sound, it is perfect for classical pieces as well as modern arrangements. The fine workmanship and carefully selected woods make every note an experience.
In contrast, the Dieter Hopf Modell Virtuoso stands for precision and virtuosity. This instrument impresses with its brilliant projection, quick response and exceptional tonal detail. It also became famous because Baden Powell played this guitar live and in the studio for nearly 20 years – a true piece of music history! Ideal for players who want to combine technical finesse and expressive power.
Volker Schäfer will demonstrate both guitars in action, introduce their characteristic tonal colors and show how each instrument behaves in different musical situations. Look forward to an inspiring experience between tradition, craftsmanship and modern guitar virtuosity.
Kristian Kohle from Kohlekeller Studio meets successful producer and musician Peter Tägtgren! Together, the two dive deep into the world of modern metal guitar production and talk about proven recording and mixing techniques, massive walls of guitars, and share valuable tips straight from practice. Peter Tägtgren is the mastermind and multi-instrumentalist behind the bands PAIN and Hypocrisy and has produced, at his Abyss Studios, among others, Amon Amarth, Children of Bodom, Dimmu Borgir and Sabaton.
Five Notes Are Enough: Composing With the Pentatonic
"Nobody ever believes me. They hear a line, ask what it was, and when I say pentatonic they laugh... until I show them. It's the first scale everyone learns and the one everyone abandons, which is exactly why there's still so much left in it.
I've written entire pieces with nothing but these five notes. One is a Hendrix-inspired ballad. Another is outside fusion with modern phrasing that sounds nothing like a pentatonic and it is one. Same scale, opposite ends of the spectrum. I'll take both apart in front of you and show you the decisions behind them.
Then the part nobody expects: stack these same 5 notes into voicings, walk them diatonically, add open strings plus the blue note, and you get harmony off a Holdsworth record.
Five notes. Come find out what they can do."
In this workshop, Jared Smith shares the secrets behind his jaw-dropping technique, from his approach to tackling the warp-speed riffing of Canadian tech-metal outfit Archspire to the concepts that have helped him develop his own distinctive voice on the bass. He’ll also offer an inside look at his approach to modern metal, while Sheldon Dingwall joins him to reveal some exciting news from Dingwall Guitars.
Few bassists have shaped the sound of metal like Steve Di Giorgio. Renowned for his jaw-dropping three-finger technique and unmistakable fretless playing, he has left his mark on countless landmark albums, both as a pioneering band member and one of metal's most in-demand session musicians.
In this workshop, Steve dives deep into the art of playing bass in a metal context, exploring the unique role of the fretless bass within the genre. Expect practical insights into right-hand techniques for greater speed, precision, and endurance, along with tone-shaping strategies that help your bass cut through even the heaviest mixes. Whether you're chasing technical mastery or looking to refine your own sound, this is a rare opportunity to learn from one of metal's true innovators.
Beyond Clean: Modern Bass Sounds That Actually Work
Join Ian Martin Allison for a fast-paced, practical 45-minute workshop exploring how to use effects to create modern bass sounds that excel in real-world musical situations. Ian will demonstrate how he uses effects in the studio and on the road as a touring bassist, sharing practical approaches to building sounds that complement the music rather than stepping on a pedal just because you bought it. Expect real-world examples, practical tips, and plenty of sounds. Short Q&A to follow!
Bass Essentials: What Working Bassplayers Really Need
Modern bass players face numerous challenges in terms of technique, sound, and stylistic confidence. What exactly sets the well-booked freelancers apart from the crowd? Why are some players successful for years, while others only for a short time?
Lars Lehmann explores these and other questions in his bass workshop. Of course, visitors will take away plenty of tips and tricks for their own bass playing!
For over 25 years, Lars Lehmann has been one of the defining figures in the bass scene. As a live and studio bassist, he has toured internationally and is also known as a bass demonstrator for the YouTube channels BassTheWorld, Framus & Warwick, and Sadowsky.
Lars teaches, among others, at the Popakademie Baden-Württemberg, ACM London, and HMTMH Hannover, and is the author of the standard work „Slap Attack“ as well as the online course „Bass Essentials: Finger. Slap. Pick.“ (Guitar Summit Academy).
Running through the career of a professional guitar player, musical entrepreneur and hit songwriter Ace will demonstrate the songs and the techniques that have made him a focused and successful musician, and the band Skunk Anansie worldwide name. And few fun stories too.
Workshop on modern playing techniques, extended harmonies and innovative instrument concepts with Felix Martin.
Innovative playing techniques: chord voicings, tapping and two-handed concepts on the 7-string as well as the 16-string FM Guitar (two necks, playable simultaneously as one instrument).
FM Guitars Design: philosophy behind the multi-neck instruments and presentation of the regular 6-string models.
Guest performances: spontaneous practical examples and jams with other FM Guitars artists on site.
Mini live set: performance of selected songs with backing tracks.
In this interactive workshop, Sarah Jory opens the door to the world of slide guitar, lap steel and pedal steel. Whether you want to learn how to bring slide sounds into your own playing, understand what makes them so expressive or simply enjoy hearing them performed at the highest level by the world’s No.1 female pedal steel guitarist, this is the place to be.
Sarah will show how slide guitar, lap steel and pedal steel each create their own distinctive sound, sharing practical techniques, tone tips and lessons from decades of live performance. Expect plenty of music, stories from working with Eric Clapton and Sir Van Morrison, and perhaps even a vocal moment from a nine-time BCMA Female Vocalist of the Year.
Presented in a live, band-like setting rather than with backing tracks, the workshop will be highly interactive, with questions and requests for your favourite slide guitar songs warmly encouraged.
Flow: how to connect the Auditory & Muscle Memories
This workshop addresses a gap many players run into while improvising: how to hear and feel what you want to play instantly, or how to get there over time by building a strong foundation in rudiments.
One focus is the drone. Practising melodic and harmonic contexts against a fixed tonal centre trains the ear and builds muscle memory at the same time.
Another is audiation, commonly referred to as scatting. It strengthens the bond between player and instrument and serves as a reminder that the player is the instrument; what comes out of the guitar is only the medium for interpretation.
Finally, rhythmic thinking, so that the music you hear actually comes across. Of the three main pillars of music (harmony, melody and rhythm), rhythm takes precedence for how we feel and connect.
The 'Modern Musician Clinic' explores a practical look into the skills behind modern musicianship. Today's modern age requires musicians to showcase various proficiencies around enhanced technique, fundemental understandings of tone, the marriage between gear and songwriting, as well as social media and it's relevance in navigating how to pursue music in an ever-changing industry model.
Whether you’re a guitarist, bassist, producer, content creator or independent artist, this session is designed to give you real-world insight you can apply to your own playing, sound and creative direction.
Don Ross and Julie Malía are known primarily for their work as solo guitarists. When they began doing concerts and recordings together in 2023, they had to work carefully on making sure their arrangements take full advantage of the sonic capabilities of their instruments, while also making sure to stay "out of each other's way" musically. Their combination of talents helps them forge strong arrangements. Julie's strengths from her classical training make her a formidable score reader. Don's talents as an improviser help him to create strong second guitar parts to existing repertoire. Julie plays both nylon and steel string guitar, and they both also sing. So the total package, and their natural tendencies to be good listeners as well as players, all help them create strong arrangements for two guitars that allow them each to breathe while a piece progresses. Join Julie and Don as they go through some of their strategies for creating melodically and harmonically strong duets.
How much does the instrument in your hands influence the music you make? Using her custom Martin guitars, Mary Spender explores how body shape, scale, tone, feel and setup affect the way she plays, writes and arranges. She’ll demonstrate how she approaches different guitars as a player and songwriter, and why choosing an instrument can be about much more than simply finding the “best” sounding guitar.
Grammy-winning guitarist and self-described "Guitar Texturalist" Larry Mitchell, known for touring with artists like Tracy Chapman and Robert Mirabal, demonstrates how the ToneWoodAmp 2 expands an acoustic guitarist's tonal palette — blending his signature layered, textural playing style with onboard effects for both stage, studio and off-stage use.
Tube Talk: Will there be electron tubes available after 2030?
A discussion forum with:
Ian Robinson - BLACKSTAR
Dave Friedman - FRIEDMAN AMPS
Steve Fryette FRYETTE AMPS
Jon Magill - MARSHALL
Andreas Hecke TUBE AMP DOCTOR
Hosted by Jon Symons, Sonic Drive Studios
www.youtube.com/@SonicDriveStudio
While digital amplification is an increasing trend in the market there are still a lot of manufacturers building amplifiers and other devises using electron tubes. But the volume of tubes used in the world is decreasing consistently.
Certain tube manufacturers are struggling to keep their production economical and many ceased productions forever within the last decades.
A further shrinking demand and political measures are increasingly unsettling the market on both sides; the amp building industries and electron tube production plants.
Within this penal discussion we would like to shade some light into the situation with some key speakers of the amp manufacturers and some inside knowledge of electron tube manufacturing situation.
These factors will make a major impact on the question whether there will be still an electron tube manufacturing going on in the next decade.
Mary Spender, Ian Martin Allison, Jared James Nichols
PANEL TALK: How to succeed in today’s social media world as a musician
Hosted by Kris Barocsi & Guillaume Chenin
Being visible without compromising yourself: a look at what social media means for musicians today – and what really matters.
MS
Artist
Mary Spender, Ian Martin Allison, Jared James Nichols
Devin Townsend will deliver a performance driven workshop which is open to all, whilst also taking the time to provide a snapshot of his recording processes and gear decisions, whilst also taking the time for an audience Q&A.
Look at any guitarist defining the modern sound right now and you'll find fingers in the right hand. Pure pick playing isn't enough anymore.
But you don't have to choose. The Magic Pick Trick is the move at the heart of this technique: the pick vanishes against my little finger, all four fingers go free, and it comes back a fraction of a second later. Same hand, both worlds, mid-phrase. I'll teach you the mechanic and you can practice it walking down the street.
What it unlocks: four fingers on four strings, one per string, firing simultaneously. It sounds like four picks at once, with a smoothness and dynamic range a pick or a sweep can't reach.
We'll cover the three string groups the system is built on, how to turn any arpeggio into a four-string shape, extensions and string skips that make arpeggios sound like melodies, my signature 2-1-1-1 pattern, and the muting that keeps everything defined under high gain.
In this workshop, Claus will focus specifically on developing your own unique and expressive sound.
This includes directing your attention to phrasing and techniques to find an unshakeable groove.
Straight Eights – The Pulse That Carries Everything
"Precision. Groove. Authority, right on the beat.
In this intensive workshop, everything revolves around the most inconspicuous – and at the same time most powerful – rhythmic weapon in the bassist’s arsenal: straight eighth notes. Anyone who truly masters them controls the groove of every band.
You’ll learn how simple notes create an irresistible flow – whether in rock, pop, funk, or electronic music. It’s not about playing „more“, but about feeling, placing, and controlling better.
Workshop goal
By the end, you won’t just go home with exercises, but with a new understanding of time, groove, and control. Your eighth notes won’t just be „straight“ – they’ll carry, drive, and convince."
From DI to Killer Guitar Tone. Recording, Reamping & Mic Placement
Great guitar tone starts long before the mix. In this hands-on workshop, producer and mixing engineer Lasse Lammert breaks down the complete recording process and shows how the choices made at each stage shape the final sound.
Starting with a clean DI signal, Lasse demonstrates correct gain staging, recording-chain setup and practical reamping workflows. He then moves to the amplifier and microphone, showing how even small changes in mic position can dramatically reshape the tone, how to recognize phase issues and how to solve them before they become mix problems.
Metal guitarist Niels Löffler of Orden Ogan joins him live, contributing riffs that put each step into a real playing context. Using direct sound comparisons and real-world studio workflows, the workshop is for guitarists, home recordists and producers who want stronger tones, more confident recording decisions and better results from every session.
The Lapsteel - What it is and how to integrate it into your music
The lap steel is slowly but surely expanding beyond its traditional roots and finding its place in modern music.
While technically similar to an electric guitar, it offers a unique playing experience and a distinctive voice that can open up entirely new possibilities in your songwriting and arrangements.
This workshop introduces the fundamentals of the instrument, explores its characteristic techniques and sounds, and shows you how to harness its expressive qualities to bring something truly unique to your music.
A great guitar part doesn’t need to be complicated, and neither does a great solo.
Pete will share his approach to building loops, making simple chord progressions sound bigger and adding those “expensive” chords he’s become known for. And when it comes time to solo? Sometimes a few simple notes over great chords are all you need.
Come along, steal a few ideas for your own playing and stick around for the Q&A.
What's the Fuzz about? How to properly use Fuzz pedals.
“I’m not really into fuzz pedals” — we hear this a lot. Many players love the idea of fuzz, but struggle to get a great sound from their pedals. The truth is, fuzz can do far more than just compress heavily and explode into chaos. It’s full of subtle nuances — you just need to know a few tricks to unlock them.
Simon Seeleuther (the Necronautics/Frecklesnake) and Sascha Greuter of Greuter Audio show you how to use fuzz pedals effectively and how to get the best possible sound out of them. In this workshop, they cover the following topics and share practical advice with live examples.
- What is Fuzz? a little history and technic.
- Types of fuzz pedals
- Vintage vs new
- Tolerances, - same model but different?
- What are the differences of Germanium and Silicon
- Fuzz goes where - the signal chain
- Power supply, polarity and noise
- Cables
- Buffers - If yes, where?
- Fuzz and Impedance
- Humbucker vs Single Coils
- Volume control and Fuzz control
- Glassy Tone
- Amp Choice and Settings: Clean or Overdrive
- Overdrive pedals
- Gain stacking
- In the mix
- Boost pedals, EQs, Voicing
- Sustain, Feedback and Resonance
- Bias onboard vs dying battery effect
- Bass control before the fuzz
- Pickups in series/parallel and out-of-phase
- tone control
- Slide guitar and fuzz
- Q&A
Blues & Tubes - Authentic Blues Tone through tube amps
Martin Schmidt plays the Blues and shows in several songs how to get an authentic Blues tone with tube amps, distortion pedals and a vintage guitar … without master volume and channel switching!
Learn how to use Booster, Tube Screamer, Overdrive and Fuzz in front of a clean, crunchy or wide open tube amp and how to form your sound with picking attack, volume control and the combination of several distortion boxes.
The same guitarist and the same piece, but different guitars. What differences can you hear, and how significant are they?
Are more expensive guitars really that much better?
Which has more influence on the sound, the wood selection, the finishing or the construction of the soundboard?
Gergely Szurgyi presents the various classes and construction styles of Hanika guitars.
The program begins with shorter pieces, that allows the audience to compare the guitars very easily.
Afterward, Gergely performs a short program of classical guitar pieces on a Hanika master guitar.
Microtonal improvisation, fretless guitar, Ragas and Jazz
In this workshop, Max Clouth – described by the *Frankfurter Allgemeine* as a “unifier of worlds” – presents his improvisational style. The focus will be on microtonal and Raga concepts, advanced jazz harmony, compositional approaches, sound design and the creative use of improvisation. He will be accompanied by exceptional bassist Vroni Frisch, who plays with the art-pop artist MINE, amongst others.
Don Ross has had an interesting musical education. He grew up in a French-speaking city (Montréal) at a time when the city was crazy in love with soul and funk music. Although he heard guitars being played in every kind of popular music, his interest in the instrument sprang not from an obsession with the guitar in particular, but with what it could do to emulate the sound of the music he was hearing. The first song that Don learned off a record as a 9-year-old in Montréal was "Thank You (Fallentinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" by Sly and the Family Stone. Learning how to emulate the interplay between the guitar and the bass in that song sparked a life-long obsession with groove.
More recently, many of Don's more "in the pocket" groove-based tunes have become among his most popular: "Michael, Michael, Michael," "Tight Trite Night," "Dracula and Friends (Parts 1 and 2)."
In this workshop, Don will showcase some of the approaches he employs to play in a groove-based style, especially incorporating pushes before and after the beat, emphasis on the backbeat, and the use of "swing 16th" groove (made popular by Stevie Wonder and a wide variety of hip-hop and rap artists).
