By now, most of us are aware that Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong really knows his guitars. Videos of him demonstrating his skills have previously gone viral, be it his cover of Taylor Swift's Love Story or his rendition of the classic Hokkien hit I Ask Heaven.
As part of International Guitar Month in April, Mr Wong recently took to his social media pages to answer questions about his passion for playing the guitar.
In the process, he also revealed some of the local brands in the space that have caught his attention.
On Sunday (Apr 21), Mr Wong uploaded a video in which he responded to questions from his followers regarding his hobby. In the video, Mr Wong revealed that he has been playing the guitar for over 40 years and started when his father gave him the instrument as a birthday present.
Initially, a friend of his father's taught the young future Prime Minister – he will take the top job on May 15 – how to play the guitar. However, over time, Mr Wong learnt "largely" by himself and went to the National Library every week to borrow self-help books on guitars – including the monthly American magazine Guitar Player.
He added that he would even photocopy pages and lessons from the magazine to teach himself.
On the topic of his favourite guitar, Mr Wong said that, over the years, he has "tried out different models and brands". However, he gets excited when he sees "homegrown Singapore companies in (the guitar) space" – highlighting three brands in particular: Maestro, Alabs and Morningstar.
Formed in 2004 by Hozen Yong, Maestro Guitars is known for handcrafting their own guitars and ukuleles. Its guitars have been featured in multiple international showcases such as Music China and have been used by international artistes including Thai singer-actor Mile.
Formed in 2021, Alabs calls itself "an audio technology brand founded by a group of music geeks from Singapore". Despite its young age, the brand has received many positive reviews from international critics for its range of pedals and microphones. Guitar Gear Finder's Aaron Matthies praised Alabs' Cetus Reverb pedal as "an incredibly high-quality pedal that sells for a great price".
Many guitar players would be familiar with Morningstar Engineering for their range of MIDI controllers. However, few are aware of the fact that the brand was started in Singapore by Singapore Management University (SMU) graduates James Toh and Benjamin Chia. Morningstar products have been used by many international artistes – including Bruno Mars, who is currently using the company's MC8 controller on his world tour, as well as Dragonforce guitarist Herman Li.
Speaking to CNA Lifestyle, James Toh revealed that the company first knew of Mr Wong using their products sometime in November 2020.
"Our first exchange with him was on Instagram. We sent him a DM when we noticed that he started following us. Subsequently, we also corresponded with him via email to provide technical support for some questions he had, " Toh added.
On Mr Wong's video, Toh said: "We were pleasantly surprised when we found out that he was using our product and also filled with admiration for the fact that he is such a keen and avid musician. It was very kind of him and encouraging for us to be featured on his platform."
So how did a humble brand like Morningstar get this much international fame?
"A few factors that enabled us to establish a global presence are a strong product, robust logistics network, strategic marketing and excellent customer service. We also exhibit annually at a music equipment convention in the United States to touch base with customers, dealers and build relationships with various industry stakeholders."
He added: "Most recently, we were excited to have Bruno Mars in Singapore...It was quite something seeing our product in action with such a big act on stage in Singapore."
Mr Wong's candid video appears to have resonated with multiple fans who have called on him to create more of such videos in the future, with others jokingly inviting him for a jamming session. Fingers crossed for a solo guitar performance at his upcoming swearing-in ceremony.
Continue reading...
As part of International Guitar Month in April, Mr Wong recently took to his social media pages to answer questions about his passion for playing the guitar.
In the process, he also revealed some of the local brands in the space that have caught his attention.
On Sunday (Apr 21), Mr Wong uploaded a video in which he responded to questions from his followers regarding his hobby. In the video, Mr Wong revealed that he has been playing the guitar for over 40 years and started when his father gave him the instrument as a birthday present.
Initially, a friend of his father's taught the young future Prime Minister – he will take the top job on May 15 – how to play the guitar. However, over time, Mr Wong learnt "largely" by himself and went to the National Library every week to borrow self-help books on guitars – including the monthly American magazine Guitar Player.
He added that he would even photocopy pages and lessons from the magazine to teach himself.
On the topic of his favourite guitar, Mr Wong said that, over the years, he has "tried out different models and brands". However, he gets excited when he sees "homegrown Singapore companies in (the guitar) space" – highlighting three brands in particular: Maestro, Alabs and Morningstar.
Formed in 2004 by Hozen Yong, Maestro Guitars is known for handcrafting their own guitars and ukuleles. Its guitars have been featured in multiple international showcases such as Music China and have been used by international artistes including Thai singer-actor Mile.
Formed in 2021, Alabs calls itself "an audio technology brand founded by a group of music geeks from Singapore". Despite its young age, the brand has received many positive reviews from international critics for its range of pedals and microphones. Guitar Gear Finder's Aaron Matthies praised Alabs' Cetus Reverb pedal as "an incredibly high-quality pedal that sells for a great price".
Many guitar players would be familiar with Morningstar Engineering for their range of MIDI controllers. However, few are aware of the fact that the brand was started in Singapore by Singapore Management University (SMU) graduates James Toh and Benjamin Chia. Morningstar products have been used by many international artistes – including Bruno Mars, who is currently using the company's MC8 controller on his world tour, as well as Dragonforce guitarist Herman Li.
Speaking to CNA Lifestyle, James Toh revealed that the company first knew of Mr Wong using their products sometime in November 2020.
"Our first exchange with him was on Instagram. We sent him a DM when we noticed that he started following us. Subsequently, we also corresponded with him via email to provide technical support for some questions he had, " Toh added.
On Mr Wong's video, Toh said: "We were pleasantly surprised when we found out that he was using our product and also filled with admiration for the fact that he is such a keen and avid musician. It was very kind of him and encouraging for us to be featured on his platform."
So how did a humble brand like Morningstar get this much international fame?
"A few factors that enabled us to establish a global presence are a strong product, robust logistics network, strategic marketing and excellent customer service. We also exhibit annually at a music equipment convention in the United States to touch base with customers, dealers and build relationships with various industry stakeholders."
He added: "Most recently, we were excited to have Bruno Mars in Singapore...It was quite something seeing our product in action with such a big act on stage in Singapore."
Mr Wong's candid video appears to have resonated with multiple fans who have called on him to create more of such videos in the future, with others jokingly inviting him for a jamming session. Fingers crossed for a solo guitar performance at his upcoming swearing-in ceremony.
Continue reading...