Whether you’re a beginner looking to pick up a guitar or an intermediate player who wants decent advice, this Crew is for you.
Looking to get into stringed instruments as a hobby? Wanting to up your play with a new pedal? Whether you just want to know the basics or you are looking to take your skills to a higher level, The String Crew has got your back.
My name is Eric, and I am the founder of The String Crew. I’ve been playing guitar for almost 15 years and have an extensive music background. You could say that I have a passion for all things music.
The String Crew is a resource for those with a love for music and a passion for learning about guitar. It is our vision to become a top knowledge holder on guitars and ukuleles – basically things with strings that you don’t need a bow to play.
When it comes to learning about guitars and taking on music as a hobby, having the right gear and the right knowledge can make or break your first impressions. The right guitar and the right set-up for you can be the sole factor that keeps you in it when you are just starting off.
That’s why we’re here: to help you learn all about guitars and ukuleles, to ask the silly questions you’re too embarrassed to ask others, and to help you make those gear buying decisions – all so that you don’t get frustrated and just stop learning.
The other important thing to remember is that this skill set takes time to build. But with enough practice and repetition, you will get there.
Remember: Anyone who ever used strings to dazzle you on YouTube or amazed you live in person at one point picked up their instrument for the first time. Let that sink in.
Meet The Crew
The String Crew is made up of some incredible contributors who pour their heart, soul, and musical knowledge into the site. From guitar technicians to performers, guitar teachers and sound engineers, there’s a decent amount of musical prowess in this group!
Jordan Shew
Jordan is a musician, audio engineer and entrepreneur. He has been playing guitar for over 20 years, with a particular love for the electric guitar. He has played in bands that have spanned genres from folk to rock to synth pop, learning to play as many instruments as he could in the process.
Jordan is a graduate of the Ontario Institute of Audio Recording Technology (OIART), and has worked in world class recording studios as well as post production audio for film and TV. As much as he loves the creativity of playing music, he is a techie at heart and holds a degree in mechanical engineering, which fuels his endless gear curiosity.
Jordan currently works as a freelance producer, mixer and engineer for independent artists and filmmakers. Through his love for the recording arts, he helps his clients bring their artistic visions to life at his home studio. You can check out his portfolio at jordanshewmusic.ca.
Matt P.
Matt has been playing instruments since he was 11 years old and has done nothing but work in the music industry for his whole life. Matt has worked for radio stations, music stores, and music schools and has always had a deep love for music and instruments.
Matt studied music and sound engineering at The South African Music Institute, graduating at the top of his class in both areas. Matt has played for numerous bands and worked as a sound engineer for many years, worked as an instrument technician, and repaired all kinds of string instruments.
Matt was a music educator for many years and managed a music school while teaching guitar, bass, piano, ukulele, and specializing in music theory. He ran several workshops and seminars for training musicians to be music teachers and has spent his life studying music in various ways.
Matt has always had a passion for music, and he always will.
Damien
Damien is a guitarist and multi-instrumentalist from South Africa. He has performed at many events both public and corporate with top musicians in the industry.
He has also been teaching guitar professionally for 8 years.
Devlon
Devlon started playing guitar when he was 13, growing up on the sounds of Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Jimi Hendrix. He studied contemporary music at Damelin, graduating top of his class, and also studied classical music theory through the London Royal Schools of Music In the UK.
He has toured extensively in the UAE, UK, and South Africa, playing in original and cover bands at all the major festivals, clubs, hotels, and the South African Soccer World Cup. He was also part of the cover band for the after-party at Sun City’s Kings of Chaos Concert.
Being part of a cover band and voted the number one band in Abu Dhabi by Time Out Magazine, Devlon has also had a number one hit on the Homebrew Show on Highveld Stereo in South Africa for five weeks in a row. He now spends his time playing for enjoyment and teaches on occasion.
Eric
I played a brass instrument for years in a chamber band and I even – unashamed to admit – sung in a choir for a number of years. Musically, I like to think that I know my way around a circle of fifths. But it was the guitar that changed everything for me.
My introduction to acoustic guitar was very much by accident. I was 16 when a friend came over to my house and brought her guitar.
She handed me a pick and moved my fingers into a weird shape that she said was for a “G” chord. Little did I know I was getting my first guitar lesson. Well over a decade later, I’ve been strumming and picking ever since.
Technically speaking, I cover different “things with strings” but the acoustic guitar is where my true passion lies.
I’ve also played around on electric guitar and know the chords on a ukulele to bring a song I know on acoustic to life. I’ve tested lots of different types of gear (picks, straps, tuners, etc.), learned to do my own guitar maintenance, and watched the instrument space change over the years.