New Plymouth to host the loudest guitar lesson

CAMERON BURNELL/The Taranaki Daily News

Parents around Taranaki will be covering their ears this weekend as a New Plymouth musician attempts to create a Guinness World Record. On Saturday, West Coast School of Rock director Rimu Tahuaroa will endeavour to generate the loudest guitar lesson in the world.

"There is the world's loudest band, audience and guitar player so we thought we would give it a go," Mr Tahuaroa said.

The music teacher has been chatting to Guinness officials about the attempt and all signs so far are positive.

"We have been emailing and while I am not paying for an adjudicator to come down, we have noise scientists."

Mr Tahuaroa has already busted a speaker on a practice run, which saw levels reach 118 decibels, but he has a heavy duty one for the real deal.

"We are obviously doing the attempt in our sound-proof room and we are wearing ear plugs and acoustic earmuffs."

He says the lesson will only be about five or 10 minutes as he is not looking to bother neighbours and their pets. His mate and The Rock disc jockey Paul "The Axeman" Martin will be receiving the lesson for the record. The level he wants to achieve is 120 decibels which is intolerable to the human ear.

"At that kind of level, you can feel your insides moving."

The independent noise scientists will provide the equipment needed to measure the decibels for the record attempt. Mr Tahuaroa says he plans to make the record and will be prepared to defend it in the future, even if it does not end up an official record.

"Guinness is very interested in it and I would be challenging other music teachers to take on the challenge."

Once the lesson is complete, noise scientists will collaborate the data and take it to Guinness officials.

"If they tick all the right boxes then we have set a record but if not, at the very least we have set the New Zealand record."
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Until next time keep rockin'
The 0800 Jukebox crew.