Inside The Noise with Gabe Dalporto

Brian Ball (Ernie Ball CEO) and Tosin Abasi

Ernie Ball CEO Brian Ball sits down with Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto to trace the family legacy behind one of guitar’s most influential companies—from Ernie Ball’s first rock ’n’ roll string sets to Music Man, the StingRay bass, artist partnerships and the future of guitar innovation.  Then, guitarist Tosin Abasi joins the conversation to discuss his collaboration with Music Man, extended-range guitar design, multi-scale playability, ergonomics and what gives these instruments that seamless playing experience.

Dave Maddux (Guitar Center Vintage Repairs)

Guitar Center Hollywood’s Dave Maddux sits down with Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto to trace more than 40 years of guitar-building, repair and restoration history—from the Fender factory floor to the earliest days of Fender’s Corona operation, the Mexico factory launch and his current work with vintage instruments at Guitar Center Hollywood.

Jeff "Skunk" Baxter (Steely Dan, Doobie Brothers)

Rock guitarist and defense consultant Jeff “Skunk” Baxter shares his multi-faceted music and music technology accomplishments with Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto. In this episode of Inside the Noise, discover how the member of Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers—as well as a renowned session musician—has probably played on your favorite songs and also helped create the synth and modeling guitars you use (or want to use) to make your own music.

Marty Schwartz (Marty Music)

Through his Marty Music YouTube channel celebrated guitar teacher Marty Schwartz has shown billions of players how to decode songs, absorb riffs and licks, get hip to “practical” theory and supercharge their potential. In this third episode of the second season of Inside the Noise, Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto delves into the specifics of Schwartz’s popularity as a teacher, his educational methodology and the work and strategy that made Marty Music the go-to resource for nearly five million subscribers.

Andy Powers (Taylor Guitars)

We’re moving through the much-anticipated sophomore season of Inside the Noise with Gabe Dalporto, and episode 2 features Taylor Guitars CEO Andy Powers, who is also one of the industry’s most innovative acoustic guitar builders. In this CEO-to-CEO chat, Powers discusses building his first guitar at around eight years old (it “exploded”), how the acoustic guitar slump in the 1970s actually helped Taylor compete with more established brands, and why his plan for Taylor’s future is to continue to “create the things that give voice to musicians’ songs.”