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Manuel Marino

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Manuel is a passionate, driven, and techsavvy AV technician, artist and music composer with over ten years of experience, specializing in the captivating world of music and entertainment. Manuel is an expert in creating soundtracks for short films, feature films and video games. How to Register and Order on My Film Music Orchestral Page

Manuel’s Blog is a personal digital space where I share my thoughts, projects, and passions. Here you’ll find articles about music, technology, arts, books, culture, and personal reflections.

The blog brings together my ideas and the contributions of friends and readers, offering a mix of inspiration, practical tips, and honest opinions.

Whether you are curious about creativity, looking for advice, or just want to explore different topics with me, you’ll always find something interesting to read.

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Rising Genres in 2025: Where Are Listeners Going?

Genres in 2025

Genres In 2025, musical tastes are evolving faster than ever, especially among younger listeners. Social media platforms, digital streaming, and AI generated content have all contributed to reshaping the landscape of music genres . But which styles are actually growing, and why are they connecting with new generations?

Let’s start with Drill music. Originating from Chicago and later adapted in the UK and New York, Drill remains a strong force. However, it’s not just about aggressive beats and gritty lyrics anymore. …

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“Rising Genres in 2025: Where Are Listeners Going?”

Funk Up Your Guitar With 9th Chords

Yes, I mentioned “Funk.”

Utilizing 9th chords is an excellent way to add some flavor to your guitar rhythms. They have various uses, and once you master them, they can quickly become a staple part of your playing.

Let’s examine a popular fingering pattern for a 9th chord to use in creating a “funky” sound.

Here’s an example of a “C” 9th chord you can play right now:

E———-3———————-

B———-3———————-

G———-3———————-

D———-2———————-

A———-3———————-

E———————————-

This chord is played with the 2nd finger on the 3rd fret of the 5th string, the 1st finger on the 2nd fret of the 4th string, and the 3rd finger barring the notes on the 3rd fret of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd strings. The 6th string is not played or muted.

The note on the 5th string in this fingering pattern of the 9th chord is the root note. In the example above, the note on the 5th string is played at the 3rd fret, which is a “C” note, making this a “C9th” chord.

You can simply slide this fingering pattern up and down the guitar neck to play it in any key, determined by the root note located on the …

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“Funk Up Your Guitar With 9th Chords”

The Funk Brothers – Forgotten Yesterday, Feted Today, Remembered Forever

“Who?” is one of the most painful comments an accomplished artist can hear. The Funk Brothers, the Motown studio band behind the dazzling, recognizable rhythms and riffs that captivated millions of fans before a single note was sung, endured that remark for 40 years.

I was one of those oblivious fans. As much as I loved listening to Martha and the Vandellas or the Temptations, and as much as the stories of Tammi Terrell and Paul Williams saddened me, it was the Funk Brothers’ story that inspired me the most.

Before Motown’s incredible success left them behind, they were content just playing music.

In the 1950s, Detroit clubs were brimming with talent. Some performers played with a sophisticated jazz beat, while others had more countrified R&B and blues backgrounds. Many excelled in both styles. However, only a few caught the interest of Mickey Stevenson, the Artists and Repertoire director searching for musicians to bring back to Hitsville.

In 1959, the Motown studio band began to take form. Led by the bluesy pianist Joe Hunter (not to be confused with singer-songwriter Ivory Joe Hunter), the group was further solidified by big band drummer William “Benny” Benjamin and innovative bassist …

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“The Funk Brothers – Forgotten Yesterday, Feted Today, Remembered Forever”

Funk Guitar – Best Funk Guitarists of All Time

Compared to other music genres , funk tends to downplay the role of guitarists, as the distinct sound of funk focuses more on rhythm and repetition rather than lengthy, drawn-out solos. However, this does not diminish the significance of the funk guitar in defining the genre. Instead, it simply means that funk bands perform as a cohesive unit, rather than a collection of soloists. The following paragraphs highlight some of the greatest funk guitarists of all time—names that any funk enthusiast would recognize and artists who have influenced not only funk music but other genres as well.

Jimmy Nolen: No other guitarist is more deserving of the top spot than Jimmy Nolen, the guitar player for one of the genre’s pioneers, James Brown. He is credited with redefining the role of the guitar in true funk music. His most notable legacy is the “chicken scratch” sound, a distinctive picking style in which the guitar strings are lightly pressed against the fingerboard and quickly released, producing a muted scratching sound. This guitar style greatly influenced numerous guitarists and other funk groups, including Tower of Power, George Clinton, and Chic.

Eddie Hazel: As the lead guitarist for Parliament-Funkadelic, Eddie Hazel is …

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“Funk Guitar – Best Funk Guitarists of All Time”

Soul and Funk Bands

Born in the United States in the 1960s, Soul music emerged as a fusion of gospel revival with rhythm and blues styles. It originated in the US but quickly resonated across the Western hemisphere, becoming one of the most significant styles of live music entertainment.

During a time when segregation between black and white people was still prevalent, this new musical style facilitated integration as more and more white individuals embraced it and recognized that black culture was not immoral or degrading. It also allowed for a commercial ‘boom’ through the establishment of radio stations, television channels, and other infrastructures run by black entrepreneurs, enabling a generation of songwriters, musicians, and producers to meet the demands of black music.

By the 1970s, Funk became the dominant style in African-American music. Combining the popular music of Soul with the rhythms and captivating guitar hooks of Funk allowed for a new type of music to be born—Soul Funk Music, which is now a highly popular band choice for various events.

The connection between Soul and Funk is everlasting, with the iconic sound of James Brown distinctly permeating both genres of music. Many bands …

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“Soul and Funk Bands”

Funk Bass – The Fundamentals of Funk

With numerous music genres and the constantly expanding music scene, it can sometimes be challenging to distinguish one style from another. Many overlaps exist, making it possible for a single track to belong to multiple sub-genres. However, despite this, there are still some defining characteristics in funk music that set it apart from the rest.

In essence, funk music is characterized by its strong groove, achieved through powerful funk bass guitar riffs and bass lines. To understand this, it …

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“Funk Bass – The Fundamentals of Funk”