Emily Hastings: December 2014

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR PROFESSION?

Just being able to play guitar, something I love and being paid to do it, is priceless.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE LEAST?

The aspect I like least about the music profession is that music has become overly absorbed with marketing… and sadly it seems sometimes you are selling a product instead of the art of making music.

IF YOU HADN’T BEEN BORN IN THIS CENTURY, WHEN AND WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE LIVED?

I would like to live as an Egyptian princess.

WHO ARE YOUR HEROES?

My heroes are my parents.

WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?

Playing guitar, reading, surfing the web. Sometimes I really enjoy working out. I like talking with friends and family about weird and interesting topics.

WHAT’S THE SIDE OF YOU THAT THE PUBLIC NEVER SEES?

I try to not show my annoyed or irritated side… which we all have some days.

HOW HARD DO YOU PUSH

YOURSELF?

I push myself pretty hard… I am a perfectionist and I never feel satisfied with my playing.

WHO ARE YOUR MUSICAL

INFLUENCES

When I first started playing guitar I was a huge fan of the Goo Goo Dolls. After that my musical influences shifted more into the 80s bands, Scorpions with one of my preferred guitarists Matthias Jabs, Def Leppard, Genesis, Guns n Roses, Metallica, Megadeth. I love the sound and production of the 80s. I admire Zakk Wyld’s technique to play , as well as Slash and Eric Johnson, and of course, Eddie Van Halen.

WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU USE

I have been a lucky girl to own a Gibson Les Paul guitar. Lately I have been using a Brazilian brand called Golden, which plays excellently, as well. I normally was using a Marshall AVT 150 halfstack, but that is in the States. In Brazil, I have been playing on the 5150 amp which is a real monster !!!

WHAT WAS THE FIRST GUITAR YOU EVER OWNED?

A Les Paul Gibson

WHO TAUGHT YOU HOW TO PLAY?

Me, at very first. But I highly recommend teachers… there is ALWAYS something more to learn.

HOW OLD WHERE YOU WHEN YOU GOT YOUR FIRST GUITAR?

WHAT WAS THE FIRST RIFF YOU EVER LEARNED?

The House of the Rising Sun chords was the very first! After that it was Stairway to Heaven!

WHAT WAS THE FIRST SONG YOU EVER LEARNED?

House of the Rising Sun

WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE GUITAR PLAYERS?

Jimmy Paige , Matthias Jabs, Eddie Van Halen, Zakk Wyld, Eric Johnson… gosh there are so many!!! Too many to name!

DO YOU PLAY ACOUSTIC AND ELECTRIC?

Yes

TELLS US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR

CLASSICAL TRAINING?

I was lucky to have the opportunity to study classical guitar as an undergrad. I studied all throughout my university life. I had two very special teachers (the first was Andrew Leonard and the second Dieter Hennings) that helped extract a more refined performer in me. They helped me to play more solidly and technically. I learned a greater appreciation for the guitar by studying with them.

ADVICE FOR ASPIRING MUSICIANS? Keep practicing as much as you can, even if you don’t feel inspired. Because you never know when you’ll get a lucky break. Also, another thing I’ve found, the better you get, the harder you’ll tend to be on yourself. Remember that guitar improvement is like stair steps... you have to keep climbing to reach the top

Where can we find you online?

https://www.facebook.com/emily.r.hastings

http://www.youtube.com/hastingsist

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