About Matt Allman

How did you get started with music?

My music journey started in the summer of 2023. I began taking lessons with a friend who happened to be a teacher at music and arts. After playing guitar for three months and struggling to learn a single song all the way through, I switched to electric bass. I had to stop lessons at that point due to financial reasons. However, my progress on bass quickly outpaced whatever I was trying to learn on guitar. I learned and perfected my first song within two weeks! I continue to advance my bass skills day by day.

Musicians/Artists that motivated you to play?

Cliff Burton was the first bass player that made my eyes widen with excitement at the possibility of what the instrument was capable of. Although, my playing style is shaped by other artists such as Geezer Butler, Steve Harris, Stanley Clark, and Jaco Pastorious.

Relevant educational background and performance experience?

I didn’t go to school for music or even get involved in music until just before I got this job. My knowledge comes from some research in gear and learning about electronics from tinkering with whatever broken piece of gear I can find.

Instruments/areas you specialize in?

I play bass and while I don’t have much theoretical knowledge I do have some technical skills. They mostly came from learning songs that were written by my inspirations, to writing my own songs and messing around with different scales and chords. I also enjoy learning about the electronics in the gear such as amplifiers, effect pedals, and the pickups in the instruments.

Why do you enjoy the music sales environment/what is your motivation in this job?

I enjoy being able to help first time musicians find what instrument speaks to them. Being able to answer any questions about what makes any given instrument stand out and what roles they can play in a band with their instrument.

Favorite instrument you have ever owned, and why?

My favorite instrument that will always be at my side is my Harley Benton JB-20. It is the one that you see me pictured with in my profile pic. I had a local Luthier, Hans Boyesen, alter the bass by adding the silver, “mudbucker” pickup to the bass. The work that was done to it made it feel like a dream to play, feeling and sounding like many higher-end

basses. It continues to be my favorite and go-to bass regardless of what else may be available.

Tell us about your musical superpowers (no wrong answers)

What I believe makes me unique is my ability to write songs that could belong to different genres. When I first began playing bass, my writing was all about playing fast. This was due to me being in a punk band, but it was still what I had wanted at the time. I loved playing at blazing speeds and being able to execute transitions and fills within the song at higher BPM helped with my confidence of the skill that I had with the instrument. For the past few months, I have found myself writing slower songs with a more intricate structure. Putting more thought into my songs rather than just writing a catchy riff and filling the rest of the song with simple filler notes. Regardless of what speed I play at, I have always been a sucker for a catchy hook/riff.