Sebastian Schneider

Sebastian Schneider (who took his mother's maiden name) was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from a German descendant mother and a Basque descendant father. He grew up in the Palermo neighbourhood of Buenos Aires. At the age of six, his grandmother Florencia gave him his first guitar, an acoustic nylon guitar. He began his musical studies at Carlos Guastavino Conservatory, where he studied classical music, tango and Argentine folklore. He performed in concerts at conservatory and private events. At age eleven, despite his parents' persistence, he decided to give up all his musical activities. Schneider later explained that he was bored of playing the acoustic guitar, but his parents wouldn't let him play the electric guitar until he'd mastered the acoustic guitar.[1]

In 1997, he resumed his guitar studies, and joined a private academy sponsored by Yamaha. Using a Squier Standard Telecaster given to him by his parents, he learned popular styles like rock, blues, and jazz. During this time he began to form several bands, leading and composing songs for them as a vocalist and rhythm guitarist.

Schneider was uncomfortable with the pick, and preferred to play rhythm guitar on songs. While studying country music he learned of a number of guitarists who played complex musical licks and riffs using fingerpicking techniques. He became influenced by the playing style of Chet Atkins and Mark Knopfler.[2] "I wanted to have a more active position with the guitar, and I had discovered great artists like Mark Knopfler who had successfully be singers and lead guitars playing without a pick. Then I told myself: This is what I needed to from the start!".[1]

Schneider began to develop his particular technique, self-described as a "travesty of Knopfler's technique", using four fingers like many classical guitarists so that he could perform licks and riffs at a higher velocity.[3] While performing as a solo artist at a private event in 2004, he was reunited with Horacio Ascheri[4] (an old friend of his father), leader of the Argentine band The Pick Ups,[5] who encouraged him to start a solo career.[6]

Schneider also took interest in the sciences, studying Physics at the Universidad de Buenos Aires.

Sebastian Schneider has always been reluctant to speak about his personal life. In 2004 he loses his mother in a car accident which affects him profoundly, adopting this posture since then. He is a polyglot, being a Spanish native speaker, proficient in English and also speaking German and Italian.

Schneider is also an electronics technician and sound engineer. Aside from his first album, he made the arrangements and performed every instrument for his studio recordings, and on his third album he did all the recording, mixing and mastering.

Schneider owns several guitars, but performs live shows mainly with his Fender James Burton Telecaster. Very seldomly performs the bass live with his Washburn bass guitar but regularly does live acoustic sets with his Dean banjo. He generally uses an American Crate GX-120 guitar amplifier and a DigiTech GNX2 guitar processor in live shows.

He has been influenced by rock and pop artists from every era, including Elvis Presley, The Beatles,[16] Pink Floyd, Roy Orbison[17], Guns N’ Roses, Brian Setzer, Foo Fighters, Living Colour, David Bowie and many others from the classical rock period, as well as artists from the 2000s indie rock such as The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, The Killers and others.

He is a tenor with a wide vocal register and a soft voice, which contrasts between the distorted electric sound of his songs. His lyrics often have an abstract theme, allowing different interpretations[18]. His music is a fusion of elements from country music, blues, flamenco, and bossa nova with a rock and pop foundation.

Schneider is a fingerstyle guitarist and rarely uses a plectrum. His technique consists in using the first four fingers of his right hand, instead of three or five fingers which are most commonly used. An important part of his style is to play riffs and licks on the guitar while singing at the same time as opposed to performing rhythm guitar.

• http://www.sebastianschneider.com.ar Sebastian Schneider's Official Site (in Spanish)
• http://www.sebastianschneiderweb.com Sebastian Schneider's Official Site (in English)
• http://www.warnerchappell.com Warner/Chappell International
• http://www.likeitproducciones.com.ar Like It! Producciones
• http://www.avarecords.com.ar Ava Records