Jan
Steckbrief
Name: Jan
Age: 39 Jahre
Teaches you in: Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Bass, Ukulele
Education: Swiss Jazz School Bern (Bachelor of Arts)
Plays Ukulele since: 24 Jahren
Teaches Ukulele since: 12 Jahren
Sprachen: Deutsch, Englisch, Französisch
Styles: Rock, Pop, Metal, Blues, Jazz
Einflüsse: U2, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Soundgarden, INXS, ZZ Top, Tool, Paradise Lost, Type O Negative, Sepultura, Meshuggah, Allan Holdsworth, John McLaughlin, Django Reinhardt, Frank Gambale, John Petrucci, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai
Interview
How did you get to the ukulele?
When I was 17, I wanted a guitar for Christmas because I wanted to start a new hobby. I started playing the ukulele at the same time as I started teaching. Basically, the ukulele is a small guitar with 4 strings, the fingerings can be transferred very easily and the way of playing is also the same. It's also fun to play and very easy to take with you.
What fascinates you about the ukulele?
The fact that you get a musical result very quickly, because the fingerings are a bit easier to grasp than on the guitar due to the size of the ukulele.
What helped you the most when practising?
For me it was always a great motivation to learn songs that I then played in a band. When I realised that I had to learn something technically to master a song, I learned the basics and practised the difficult parts of the song until I could play the piece completely.
What do you pay particular attention to when teaching?
First of all, it is important for me that the lessons are fun and that we get to play a lot. I want my students to learn exactly the songs they like to listen to. But I also make sure that my students learn a good basic technique.
What has been your greatest experience as a musician so far?
It was a fantastic experience to have a studio to ourselves for a longer period of time with my band "Katergon". We recorded our music without any time pressure and produced a great album on our own.
On which equipment do you prefer to play?
My main guitar is a Gibson Les Paul. But I also like to play my Fender Telecaster when I need a more "percussive" sound. With that I go into a Kemper Profiler and an Orange 2x12 cabinet.
What else is important in your life besides music?
My family, of course, my girlfriend and her children. I like to go out into nature, go hiking or go on a bike tour.
When I was 17, I wanted a guitar for Christmas because I wanted to start a new hobby. I started playing the ukulele at the same time as I started teaching. Basically, the ukulele is a small guitar with 4 strings, the fingerings can be transferred very easily and the way of playing is also the same. It's also fun to play and very easy to take with you.
What fascinates you about the ukulele?
The fact that you get a musical result very quickly, because the fingerings are a bit easier to grasp than on the guitar due to the size of the ukulele.
What helped you the most when practising?
For me it was always a great motivation to learn songs that I then played in a band. When I realised that I had to learn something technically to master a song, I learned the basics and practised the difficult parts of the song until I could play the piece completely.
What do you pay particular attention to when teaching?
First of all, it is important for me that the lessons are fun and that we get to play a lot. I want my students to learn exactly the songs they like to listen to. But I also make sure that my students learn a good basic technique.
What has been your greatest experience as a musician so far?
It was a fantastic experience to have a studio to ourselves for a longer period of time with my band "Katergon". We recorded our music without any time pressure and produced a great album on our own.
On which equipment do you prefer to play?
My main guitar is a Gibson Les Paul. But I also like to play my Fender Telecaster when I need a more "percussive" sound. With that I go into a Kemper Profiler and an Orange 2x12 cabinet.
What else is important in your life besides music?
My family, of course, my girlfriend and her children. I like to go out into nature, go hiking or go on a bike tour.
Links/Videos
