by Steve Collins
A sound console is a sophisticated piece of equipment. While the new ones can be programmed to operate effortlessly at the touch of a few buttons, without proper digital audio training, you can feel as if someone suddenly sat you down at the controls of a space shuttle and said, "Fly this." You will never be able to truly get the most out of a console unless you get digital audio training on it. Without digital audio training, the console with which you are working can be a source of frustration. With digital audio training, you will enjoy putting your console through its paces with confidence.
Digital audio training from Hi-Tech Audio has always been thorough. There is no name in the sound industry more respected than Hi-Tech Audio. They do a huge volume of sales and rental for some of the biggest names in the business. From the producers of major concert tours to sound engineers for mega churches and theaters, the staff of Hi-Tech Audio love putting consoles through their paces, showing off what the equipment can do. Anyone who buys or rents a console through Hi-Tech Audio will get complete digital audio training on their new or used board.
Hi-Tech Audio offers classes in digital audio training for anyone in need. To suit their customers' particular needs, they will provide whatever individual training is required. You and your engineers can receive training on the consoles in house at Hi-Tech Audio, but if you prefer, a dedicated professional will join you at your own venue for training on your console. They are happy to do what best meets your needs when it comes to digital audio training.
For digital audio training, Hi-Tech Audio is the best. No one knows consoles more intimately than their staff, and no one is more dedicated to providing great sound. For every venue, from small auditoriums to mega churches to huge concert tours, Hi-Tech Audio offers the same high level of service and digital audio training.
How To Start A Record Label?
by Tan Yih Long
If you want to start your own record label, you must be prepared to work hard and do a lot of planning. Most importantly, you must love music and know where to collect information on how to start a record label.
The first decision you must make after you have decided to start your own record label is to decide on a name for your record label. Your record label name must not be similar to any other existing names and must be unique. After deciding on a record label name, register it at the registrar of deeds office. Then, a license to run the business will be necessary, thus you will need to obtain a license from the country business license office. You might be asked for an interview with the officials and be requested to deposit a nominal fee for the license.
After you start your record label, you need to be patient if you are not so successful in your earlier days. Every record label needs practice and perseverance to ensure that the business becomes smooth. Quality and uniqueness of your records are very important to attract more and more people to buy your records, thus you must pay special attention to them.
Collecting feedback and making appropriate responses is crucial to your record label success. If possible, hire a manager to handle other team members and coordinate the communication between your local distributors and suppliers. To get accepted by people, try to perform in front of your audiences a few times a month.
Starting your own record label is not difficult at all. If you have already spent months or years creating great music, you should have a good record label business plan. Have a good business plan, and you will find that investors will willingly fund your record label.
If you want to start your own record label, you must be prepared to work hard and do a lot of planning. Most importantly, you must love music and know where to collect information on how to start a record label.
The first decision you must make after you have decided to start your own record label is to decide on a name for your record label. Your record label name must not be similar to any other existing names and must be unique. After deciding on a record label name, register it at the registrar of deeds office. Then, a license to run the business will be necessary, thus you will need to obtain a license from the country business license office. You might be asked for an interview with the officials and be requested to deposit a nominal fee for the license.
After you start your record label, you need to be patient if you are not so successful in your earlier days. Every record label needs practice and perseverance to ensure that the business becomes smooth. Quality and uniqueness of your records are very important to attract more and more people to buy your records, thus you must pay special attention to them.
Collecting feedback and making appropriate responses is crucial to your record label success. If possible, hire a manager to handle other team members and coordinate the communication between your local distributors and suppliers. To get accepted by people, try to perform in front of your audiences a few times a month.
Starting your own record label is not difficult at all. If you have already spent months or years creating great music, you should have a good record label business plan. Have a good business plan, and you will find that investors will willingly fund your record label.
A Guitar Stand Buyer's Guide
by Allen Newsom
When deciding to purchase a guitar stand there are several things to keep in mind.
How Sturdy is it?
I have found over the years that many manufacturers of quality instrument stands produce a product that will meet the expectations of the owner. But, there are very few that produce one that "Exceeds" the owner's expectations. NOW, there is one!
The instrument stand depicted in the picture above is not only versatile by adjusting to multiple lengths for a variety of styles of guitars, basses, or banjos. But, it also sports a lengthy cradle to accommodate a multitude of various body styles. It has durable tubing construction and folding tripod legs which makes it a perfect choice for either the traveling onstage performer or the garage band novice.
What should one expect to pay for a quality instrument stand?
In answering this question a couple of secondary questions must be answered. Is it affordable? And, and how long will it last? Affordability is different from one person to the next. But, it encompasses the aggregate analysis of all aspects of the stand-namely its' durability, cost, construction, as well as, the buyers need, uses, and even expectation of how well the stand will perform. Personally, I have found a less than $20.00 stand will usually and often does outlast a $50.00 stand.
A good instrument stand should have a fretboard latch.
This will work to secure the players instrument when not in use. It should have a material overlay on surfaces which will protect the instruments finish. The stand example referred to in this guide has a neoprene protected body cradle which works in perfect harmony with the glossy finishes on most instruments. Finally, the footing on a quality stand should be made of rubber not some non-friction type material such as plastic or metal. This keeps the stand right where you put it.
An ideal guitar stand should be adjustable.
If you are like most guitar players who own several guitars you're likely to need a stand at some point that will adjust to different lengths. Thus, a stand with an adjustable fret board holder is what you should look for. I would be nice to have a stand you could use for both your electrics and acoustics.
When deciding to purchase a guitar stand there are several things to keep in mind.
How Sturdy is it?
I have found over the years that many manufacturers of quality instrument stands produce a product that will meet the expectations of the owner. But, there are very few that produce one that "Exceeds" the owner's expectations. NOW, there is one!
The instrument stand depicted in the picture above is not only versatile by adjusting to multiple lengths for a variety of styles of guitars, basses, or banjos. But, it also sports a lengthy cradle to accommodate a multitude of various body styles. It has durable tubing construction and folding tripod legs which makes it a perfect choice for either the traveling onstage performer or the garage band novice.
What should one expect to pay for a quality instrument stand?
In answering this question a couple of secondary questions must be answered. Is it affordable? And, and how long will it last? Affordability is different from one person to the next. But, it encompasses the aggregate analysis of all aspects of the stand-namely its' durability, cost, construction, as well as, the buyers need, uses, and even expectation of how well the stand will perform. Personally, I have found a less than $20.00 stand will usually and often does outlast a $50.00 stand.
A good instrument stand should have a fretboard latch.
This will work to secure the players instrument when not in use. It should have a material overlay on surfaces which will protect the instruments finish. The stand example referred to in this guide has a neoprene protected body cradle which works in perfect harmony with the glossy finishes on most instruments. Finally, the footing on a quality stand should be made of rubber not some non-friction type material such as plastic or metal. This keeps the stand right where you put it.
An ideal guitar stand should be adjustable.
If you are like most guitar players who own several guitars you're likely to need a stand at some point that will adjust to different lengths. Thus, a stand with an adjustable fret board holder is what you should look for. I would be nice to have a stand you could use for both your electrics and acoustics.
Become a pro guitarist
by Thomas Dean
So you want to become a professional guitarist?
From my experience and doing lots of research, over 75% of people could become a professional guitarist, with a bit of motivation.
The start
So what you want to do is, check out ebay or any other guitar shop online (tends to be cheaper than retail stores), then find yourself a nice little guitar for about £60 ($120), I recommend an acoustic guitar. Buy it obviously.
Depending on what type of music you're into, you'll want to play that certain style. I can only go from experience so, I am into punk and heavy metal so I learnt power chords when I first started playing. When you have picked up some chords, and know your way around the frets, and have learnt how to read tabular, simply go to a tab website and have a look around for songs you like, and try to learn them. Don't forget to learn everything you see on every guitar related website.
Once you're familar with a whole load of songs, maybe you can try writing your own music.
Practice makes perfect
Practice all the time! Every waking hour of the day, have that guitar in your hands. After a while your guitar will be so familar to you, it'll be apart of you. Practice everything. Practice songs over and over again. This way you hopefully won't mess up if your doing a live showcase or something like that. You should be practicing atleast a year before you even think about starting a band or playing a live show.
Make friends
You should be making friend with people who have the same goals as you. Go to local gigs, meet the band, have conversation with them, ask for tips. It's all about who you know. It helps if you know someone in the music industry, if they know you well, they might think your worth the risk of time and money. Know other local bands, they might know someone who is the music industry.
Myspace
I cannot stress how important this is. Make your myspace music page, upload some recordings, add loads of people. Get your music heard. Myspace is a godsend for countless independant artists. Use the most of the free features. You should then start to get a fan base, this will show people from the music industry that your music will sell. How do you think the Arctic Monkeys made it to the big time? They used myspace and made it work for them. A record company found there myspace page, seen there fan base, listened to there music and figured there music would sell. And oh boy did it sell, there no.1 hit I bet you look good on the dancefloor knocked the Sugababes from the no.1 spot in 2005.
Good luck!
So you want to become a professional guitarist?
From my experience and doing lots of research, over 75% of people could become a professional guitarist, with a bit of motivation.
The start
So what you want to do is, check out ebay or any other guitar shop online (tends to be cheaper than retail stores), then find yourself a nice little guitar for about £60 ($120), I recommend an acoustic guitar. Buy it obviously.
Depending on what type of music you're into, you'll want to play that certain style. I can only go from experience so, I am into punk and heavy metal so I learnt power chords when I first started playing. When you have picked up some chords, and know your way around the frets, and have learnt how to read tabular, simply go to a tab website and have a look around for songs you like, and try to learn them. Don't forget to learn everything you see on every guitar related website.
Once you're familar with a whole load of songs, maybe you can try writing your own music.
Practice makes perfect
Practice all the time! Every waking hour of the day, have that guitar in your hands. After a while your guitar will be so familar to you, it'll be apart of you. Practice everything. Practice songs over and over again. This way you hopefully won't mess up if your doing a live showcase or something like that. You should be practicing atleast a year before you even think about starting a band or playing a live show.
Make friends
You should be making friend with people who have the same goals as you. Go to local gigs, meet the band, have conversation with them, ask for tips. It's all about who you know. It helps if you know someone in the music industry, if they know you well, they might think your worth the risk of time and money. Know other local bands, they might know someone who is the music industry.
Myspace
I cannot stress how important this is. Make your myspace music page, upload some recordings, add loads of people. Get your music heard. Myspace is a godsend for countless independant artists. Use the most of the free features. You should then start to get a fan base, this will show people from the music industry that your music will sell. How do you think the Arctic Monkeys made it to the big time? They used myspace and made it work for them. A record company found there myspace page, seen there fan base, listened to there music and figured there music would sell. And oh boy did it sell, there no.1 hit I bet you look good on the dancefloor knocked the Sugababes from the no.1 spot in 2005.
Good luck!
How Long Does It Take To Play Guitar
by Mike Hayes
Learning to play guitar is a process, and there is no finish line. How long does it take to play guitar, is a question students often ask their teacher. How long it takes to play the guitar depends on what your definition of guitar playing is!
The last few decades has seen a remarkable growth in the popularity of rock music and guitar playing has become pretty attractive for many.
Today the guitar is everywhere; a versatile instrument - adapting itself to almost any kind of situation, Victimized by it's own success, it has become something more than a musical instrument - like the swastika before it, it has become the symbol of a social revolution! The ultimate emblem of grooviness! It is now an object unto itself!
Guitar enthusiasts are so often blinded by the symbol that they remain deaf to the world of musical wonders that lie beyond their blinkered six-string field of interest.
Many teenagers exist who aspire to become rock superstars, but there is also a section who wants to learn guitar playing just for sake of it. But many of them end up losing hope of learning guitar since they don't find the best way to learn guitar.
How long does it take to play guitar? If you can answer the following questions and make these important distinctions you will have a good idea.
QUESTION ONE: How do you view the instrument?
Do you want to be (a) guitar owner, (b) guitar player, (c) a musician who uses the guitar for musical expression?
Essentially there's three levels of involvement with the guitar:
1. Guitar owners - to qualify you need only to have enough funds to purchase the instrument, for these people the guitar is simply a toy, like a computer game, or fashion accessory. How long does it take you to play the guitar if you're in this category? About 5-10 minutes max. The important thing here is to "be seen to be playing the guitar"!
2. Guitar players - players in this category are often very dedicated and speed many hours practicing their instrument. Mostly self taught, they learn almost exclusively from guitar tab, and their friends. How long does it take to play guitar in this category?... these players understand it's a lifetime journey.
3. Musicians who play guitar as their chosen instrument- players in category two focus on guitar playing skills, whereas level three players understand the whole scope of the musical landscape. A good musician not only plays their instrument well, they understand and can intelligently discuss all music.
These players:
(a) listen to all types of music
(b) read about all types of music
(c) study all types of music
How long does it take to play guitar in this category? Again, it's a lifetime of hard work and discipline. What's the difference between category two and category three?
Level two players must have their instrument in their hands to communicate ideas, whereas, musicians who play guitar as their chosen instrument know and can discuss, the qualities which make Herb Ellis or Barney Kessel a great jazz player; why Duke Ellington is a jazz innovator; Michel Legrand a great composer and orchestrator. They know why good symphonies are good and bad symphonies are bad; they know why good pop or country songs are good (musically) and bad songs are bad.
QUESTION TWO: Are you internally motivated or externally motivated?
Externally motivated players usually give up playing the guitar once they realize that they are responsible for their progress. these players quickly move on to the new 'hip' fad (only to give up on that as soon as things get a bit challenging).
An obvious example of this type of externally motivated player and their associated problems and disappointments is with the recent popularity of computer games where people pretend to play the guitar.
Despite PR claims from computer games companies that their computer guitar games improve the player's rhythm and hand dexterity, professional guitar teachers worldwide have reported that guitar computer game veterans have been disappointed when confronted with the real-world requirements of hard work and delayed gratification. They expect to jump into it and learn it as quickly as they learned the game, and they realize that they can't.
I'll assume if you have read this far you're more interested in category two or three!
needless to say that only internally motivated players make it into category two and three.
QUESTION THREE: What is the source of your information? common knowledge or specialized knowledge?
Today it is not a question of information on any particular subject, after all we live in the information age, don't we? To accelerate your progress on the guitar and rapidly decrease the time it takes you to play the guitar, what we need is specialized knowledge to help us assemble the relevant knowledge to achieve our goals.
The first thing to understand is that learning guitar is something that takes a long time. how long it takes to learn depends on what you want to learn.
Learning guitar is hard work but it's really important to have fun and have your guitar make cool sounds while you're learning all the hard bits. The main thing you have to consider when learning how to play guitar is who is teaching you how to play guitar.
How long does it take to play guitar? It depends on what you want to achieve.
Learning to play guitar is a process, and there is no finish line. How long does it take to play guitar, is a question students often ask their teacher. How long it takes to play the guitar depends on what your definition of guitar playing is!
The last few decades has seen a remarkable growth in the popularity of rock music and guitar playing has become pretty attractive for many.
Today the guitar is everywhere; a versatile instrument - adapting itself to almost any kind of situation, Victimized by it's own success, it has become something more than a musical instrument - like the swastika before it, it has become the symbol of a social revolution! The ultimate emblem of grooviness! It is now an object unto itself!
Guitar enthusiasts are so often blinded by the symbol that they remain deaf to the world of musical wonders that lie beyond their blinkered six-string field of interest.
Many teenagers exist who aspire to become rock superstars, but there is also a section who wants to learn guitar playing just for sake of it. But many of them end up losing hope of learning guitar since they don't find the best way to learn guitar.
How long does it take to play guitar? If you can answer the following questions and make these important distinctions you will have a good idea.
QUESTION ONE: How do you view the instrument?
Do you want to be (a) guitar owner, (b) guitar player, (c) a musician who uses the guitar for musical expression?
Essentially there's three levels of involvement with the guitar:
1. Guitar owners - to qualify you need only to have enough funds to purchase the instrument, for these people the guitar is simply a toy, like a computer game, or fashion accessory. How long does it take you to play the guitar if you're in this category? About 5-10 minutes max. The important thing here is to "be seen to be playing the guitar"!
2. Guitar players - players in this category are often very dedicated and speed many hours practicing their instrument. Mostly self taught, they learn almost exclusively from guitar tab, and their friends. How long does it take to play guitar in this category?... these players understand it's a lifetime journey.
3. Musicians who play guitar as their chosen instrument- players in category two focus on guitar playing skills, whereas level three players understand the whole scope of the musical landscape. A good musician not only plays their instrument well, they understand and can intelligently discuss all music.
These players:
(a) listen to all types of music
(b) read about all types of music
(c) study all types of music
How long does it take to play guitar in this category? Again, it's a lifetime of hard work and discipline. What's the difference between category two and category three?
Level two players must have their instrument in their hands to communicate ideas, whereas, musicians who play guitar as their chosen instrument know and can discuss, the qualities which make Herb Ellis or Barney Kessel a great jazz player; why Duke Ellington is a jazz innovator; Michel Legrand a great composer and orchestrator. They know why good symphonies are good and bad symphonies are bad; they know why good pop or country songs are good (musically) and bad songs are bad.
QUESTION TWO: Are you internally motivated or externally motivated?
Externally motivated players usually give up playing the guitar once they realize that they are responsible for their progress. these players quickly move on to the new 'hip' fad (only to give up on that as soon as things get a bit challenging).
An obvious example of this type of externally motivated player and their associated problems and disappointments is with the recent popularity of computer games where people pretend to play the guitar.
Despite PR claims from computer games companies that their computer guitar games improve the player's rhythm and hand dexterity, professional guitar teachers worldwide have reported that guitar computer game veterans have been disappointed when confronted with the real-world requirements of hard work and delayed gratification. They expect to jump into it and learn it as quickly as they learned the game, and they realize that they can't.
I'll assume if you have read this far you're more interested in category two or three!
needless to say that only internally motivated players make it into category two and three.
QUESTION THREE: What is the source of your information? common knowledge or specialized knowledge?
Today it is not a question of information on any particular subject, after all we live in the information age, don't we? To accelerate your progress on the guitar and rapidly decrease the time it takes you to play the guitar, what we need is specialized knowledge to help us assemble the relevant knowledge to achieve our goals.
The first thing to understand is that learning guitar is something that takes a long time. how long it takes to learn depends on what you want to learn.
Learning guitar is hard work but it's really important to have fun and have your guitar make cool sounds while you're learning all the hard bits. The main thing you have to consider when learning how to play guitar is who is teaching you how to play guitar.
How long does it take to play guitar? It depends on what you want to achieve.
Learn How To Play Acoustic Guitar - The Fast Way
by Mike D Tucker
If you want to learn how to play an acoustic guitar you can do it the old fashion way by learning how to read music, learning every note and chord on the guitar just so you can play a few basic songs.
With enough practice in a year you might learn a few tunes. This is the way I learned. Of course back when I started there was no other way.
These days you have a much wider variety of choices. Tabs where not around when I started. You can now learn to play guitar in record time and you don't even need to be able to read music.
With the new guitar courses out you can learn your basics and be playing real songs, popular ones, in just a few weeks. Don't fool yourself though you will have to practice hard if you want to master your guitar.
If you do not have a guitar yet you can pick up a good acoustic guitar at a second hand shop or pawnshop. Make sure it has nylon strings on it. If not change them right away. Steel strings on an acoustic guitar can damage it and it will definitely take a toll on your fingers.
Search out and find a course that's fits the style you want to learn and buy it. The time you save will more than pay for the course. You can poke around online for free stuff but you will end up picking up some bad habits that will be hard to break later on. Better learn proper techniques from the beginning.
We purchased and reviewed the top 10 guitar courses and narrowed it down to the top 3. With these new guitar courses there has never been a faster more effective way to learn the guitar. I could have saved years if they were around back when I started.
The biggest piece of advice I can give you is learn your scales. Practice them until you can play a scale anywhere in the neck without thinking about it. If you learn how to do that improvising will be a snap.
There is nothing like the feeling of whipping out your guitar and playing like a pro for your friends or family and watching there mouths drop open in awe.
If you want to learn how to play an acoustic guitar you can do it the old fashion way by learning how to read music, learning every note and chord on the guitar just so you can play a few basic songs.
With enough practice in a year you might learn a few tunes. This is the way I learned. Of course back when I started there was no other way.
These days you have a much wider variety of choices. Tabs where not around when I started. You can now learn to play guitar in record time and you don't even need to be able to read music.
With the new guitar courses out you can learn your basics and be playing real songs, popular ones, in just a few weeks. Don't fool yourself though you will have to practice hard if you want to master your guitar.
If you do not have a guitar yet you can pick up a good acoustic guitar at a second hand shop or pawnshop. Make sure it has nylon strings on it. If not change them right away. Steel strings on an acoustic guitar can damage it and it will definitely take a toll on your fingers.
Search out and find a course that's fits the style you want to learn and buy it. The time you save will more than pay for the course. You can poke around online for free stuff but you will end up picking up some bad habits that will be hard to break later on. Better learn proper techniques from the beginning.
We purchased and reviewed the top 10 guitar courses and narrowed it down to the top 3. With these new guitar courses there has never been a faster more effective way to learn the guitar. I could have saved years if they were around back when I started.
The biggest piece of advice I can give you is learn your scales. Practice them until you can play a scale anywhere in the neck without thinking about it. If you learn how to do that improvising will be a snap.
There is nothing like the feeling of whipping out your guitar and playing like a pro for your friends or family and watching there mouths drop open in awe.
Guitar Lesson: Learn Open Chords
by Peter Edvinsson
It is really exciting to play guitar! You can experiment with chords in a completely different way than on the piano. The construction of the guitar and the tuning of the strings allow you to find these easy sounding chords!
You will first learn a very easy form of tablature with only numbers. Tablature staffs written the ordinary way can easily be displayed in a distorted way in articles like this one.
To show how to read the tab notation I give you this note to play on your guitar:
3/2
The first number tells you to play the third fret. The number after the slash indicates which string to play. This means that you are to play the third fret on the second string. That will be the note D on an commonly tuned guitar.
Open chords are used in many types of guitar tunes. First you have to know what an open chord is. It usually refers to the most common chords played in the first position with some open strings, that is, strings that are not pressed down.
You will start with an ordinary C-chord. It looks like this:
C: 3/5 2/4 0/3 1/2 0/1
Now you are going to try the nice sounding but easy Fmaj7 chord by changing two fingers. Here it is:
Fmaj7: 3/4 2/3 1/2 0/1
these two chords can be played together as an intro to your new song for example.
You can play them like this:
C / / / Fmaj7 / / / C / / / Fmaj7 / / /
We will now take a look at a chord you will find by sliding the Fmaj7 chord up two frets. You will get the chord G6:
G6: 5/4 4/3 3/2 0/1
We can now play the following chord progression:
C / / / Fmaj7 / / / G6 / / / Fmaj7 / / / C
You will now test a chord progression starting with the common open A-minor chord that can be used together with the previous progression. Here is the A-minor chord:
Am: 0/5 2/4 2/3 1/2 0/1
By sliding this chord up two frets you will get a nice sounding chord that can be called Bm7add11:
Bm7add11: 0/5 4/4 4/3 3/2 0/1
The last chord in this progression is an open A-minor 7th chord in the fifth position:
Am7: 0/5 5/4 5/3 5/2 0/1
The guitar chord progression with the previous chord shapes will look as follows:
Am / / / Bm7add11 / / / Am7 / / / Bm7add11 / / /
We will now play a little chord progression with the previous Am7 chord. We will need two more chords to complete this progression. Here is the open Am6 shape:
Am6: 0/5 4/4 5/3 5/2 0/1
We will now alter the fret on the fourth string again and we will get the Fmaj7/A chord.
Fmaj7/A: 0/5 3/4 5/3 5/2 0/1
Here you have a guitar chord progression with the last chords we learned:
Am7 / / / Am6 / / / Fmaj7/A / / / Am6 / / /
Let's take a look at the open E-major chord:
0/6 2/5 2/4 1/3 0/2 0/1
By sliding this chord up three frets you will get the following interesting guitar chord:
0/6 5/5 5/4 4/3 0/2 0/1
It is a form of the E-minor 7th chord.
If you continue to slide this chord up you will get an A-major add 9 chord:
Aadd9: 0/6 7/5 7/4 6/3 0/2 0/1
If you move the chord up two more frets you will get a B sounding chord that can be called Bsus/E:
0/6 9/5 9/4 8/3 0/2 0/1
These three chords can replace the more common E, A and B chords in a progression.
Starting with the open E-major chord you will now learn a flamenco guitar sounding progression
First, the E-major chord:
0/6 2/5 2/4 1/3 0/2 0/1
Now, slide this chord up one fret and you will find the three open strings sounding the same but blended with a F-major chord on the strings that are pressed down. An interesting morish sounding chord. Here it is written with tabs:
0/6 3/5 3/4 2/3 0/2 0/1
The next chord to use in this flamenco progression is the E-minor 7 chord you will get by sliding the chord two frets further up the fretboard:
0/6 5/6 5/5 4/3 0/2 0/1
You can do many things with the basic open guitar chords by sliding them to other frets and slightly change them. These were just a few examples to start your investigation!
It is really exciting to play guitar! You can experiment with chords in a completely different way than on the piano. The construction of the guitar and the tuning of the strings allow you to find these easy sounding chords!
You will first learn a very easy form of tablature with only numbers. Tablature staffs written the ordinary way can easily be displayed in a distorted way in articles like this one.
To show how to read the tab notation I give you this note to play on your guitar:
3/2
The first number tells you to play the third fret. The number after the slash indicates which string to play. This means that you are to play the third fret on the second string. That will be the note D on an commonly tuned guitar.
Open chords are used in many types of guitar tunes. First you have to know what an open chord is. It usually refers to the most common chords played in the first position with some open strings, that is, strings that are not pressed down.
You will start with an ordinary C-chord. It looks like this:
C: 3/5 2/4 0/3 1/2 0/1
Now you are going to try the nice sounding but easy Fmaj7 chord by changing two fingers. Here it is:
Fmaj7: 3/4 2/3 1/2 0/1
these two chords can be played together as an intro to your new song for example.
You can play them like this:
C / / / Fmaj7 / / / C / / / Fmaj7 / / /
We will now take a look at a chord you will find by sliding the Fmaj7 chord up two frets. You will get the chord G6:
G6: 5/4 4/3 3/2 0/1
We can now play the following chord progression:
C / / / Fmaj7 / / / G6 / / / Fmaj7 / / / C
You will now test a chord progression starting with the common open A-minor chord that can be used together with the previous progression. Here is the A-minor chord:
Am: 0/5 2/4 2/3 1/2 0/1
By sliding this chord up two frets you will get a nice sounding chord that can be called Bm7add11:
Bm7add11: 0/5 4/4 4/3 3/2 0/1
The last chord in this progression is an open A-minor 7th chord in the fifth position:
Am7: 0/5 5/4 5/3 5/2 0/1
The guitar chord progression with the previous chord shapes will look as follows:
Am / / / Bm7add11 / / / Am7 / / / Bm7add11 / / /
We will now play a little chord progression with the previous Am7 chord. We will need two more chords to complete this progression. Here is the open Am6 shape:
Am6: 0/5 4/4 5/3 5/2 0/1
We will now alter the fret on the fourth string again and we will get the Fmaj7/A chord.
Fmaj7/A: 0/5 3/4 5/3 5/2 0/1
Here you have a guitar chord progression with the last chords we learned:
Am7 / / / Am6 / / / Fmaj7/A / / / Am6 / / /
Let's take a look at the open E-major chord:
0/6 2/5 2/4 1/3 0/2 0/1
By sliding this chord up three frets you will get the following interesting guitar chord:
0/6 5/5 5/4 4/3 0/2 0/1
It is a form of the E-minor 7th chord.
If you continue to slide this chord up you will get an A-major add 9 chord:
Aadd9: 0/6 7/5 7/4 6/3 0/2 0/1
If you move the chord up two more frets you will get a B sounding chord that can be called Bsus/E:
0/6 9/5 9/4 8/3 0/2 0/1
These three chords can replace the more common E, A and B chords in a progression.
Starting with the open E-major chord you will now learn a flamenco guitar sounding progression
First, the E-major chord:
0/6 2/5 2/4 1/3 0/2 0/1
Now, slide this chord up one fret and you will find the three open strings sounding the same but blended with a F-major chord on the strings that are pressed down. An interesting morish sounding chord. Here it is written with tabs:
0/6 3/5 3/4 2/3 0/2 0/1
The next chord to use in this flamenco progression is the E-minor 7 chord you will get by sliding the chord two frets further up the fretboard:
0/6 5/6 5/5 4/3 0/2 0/1
You can do many things with the basic open guitar chords by sliding them to other frets and slightly change them. These were just a few examples to start your investigation!
Learning How To Play Jazz Guitar
by Alan Moore
Jazz guitar is an extremely popular guitar style and learning this style of music can pose quite a challenge. There's no doubt that it can be very time-consuming with many hours of practice to put in if you are to master this rather difficult style. Determination is a deciding factor in those who eventually 'get there' and can call themselves 'jazz guitarists'!
There are many unusual harmonies and chords associated with this style and, at first, this might seem unusual to your ear. However, practice is the key and over time, your ear will adapt and get used to these slightly more 'exotic' sounds. You will also need to be very familiar with your guitar and listen to as much jazz guitar music as possible. Get used to the different beats and rhythms, surround yourself with the style. Don't forget to explore different eras as well. Modern pop often incorporates jazz guitar styles, but also listen to the 'hot' jazz of such luminaries as Django Reinhardt. Remember, Reinhardt had fingers missing and he was still a gifted guitarist. There's hope for you yet!
Use a metronome. This is an invaluable tool that will help to keep you in time. Many musicians have a tendency to speed up as they play, especially if they are solo. This is a natural phenomenon, but one that need to be curbed. Many jazz styles need to be 'laid back' with a lazy style of playing that isn't rushed. Keeping a steady metronome pulse will also allow you to feel the subtleties of 'syncopation' (the notes falling 'between' the beats). Electronic or wind-up, it doesn't matter, but get a metronome at once!
Open up your mind to the new sounds, harmonies and rhythms that you will experience over the coming months and years. Invest in some good jazz guitar CDs (do a quick search on Google or visit Amazon), find a reputable local guitarist/teacher who can demonstrate this style of playing. Make sure that whoever you decide on to teach you has good references (ask around, listen to him/her play, what qualifications have they got, etc).
Finally, don't be afraid to have fun and experiment with jazz guitar. More than perhaps any other style, it is free and diverse with a variety of 'sub-styles' or 'sub-genres' to explore.
At the end of the day, just get out there and 'play guitar', don't hang back.
I wish you well with your musical exploration!
Jazz guitar is an extremely popular guitar style and learning this style of music can pose quite a challenge. There's no doubt that it can be very time-consuming with many hours of practice to put in if you are to master this rather difficult style. Determination is a deciding factor in those who eventually 'get there' and can call themselves 'jazz guitarists'!
There are many unusual harmonies and chords associated with this style and, at first, this might seem unusual to your ear. However, practice is the key and over time, your ear will adapt and get used to these slightly more 'exotic' sounds. You will also need to be very familiar with your guitar and listen to as much jazz guitar music as possible. Get used to the different beats and rhythms, surround yourself with the style. Don't forget to explore different eras as well. Modern pop often incorporates jazz guitar styles, but also listen to the 'hot' jazz of such luminaries as Django Reinhardt. Remember, Reinhardt had fingers missing and he was still a gifted guitarist. There's hope for you yet!
Use a metronome. This is an invaluable tool that will help to keep you in time. Many musicians have a tendency to speed up as they play, especially if they are solo. This is a natural phenomenon, but one that need to be curbed. Many jazz styles need to be 'laid back' with a lazy style of playing that isn't rushed. Keeping a steady metronome pulse will also allow you to feel the subtleties of 'syncopation' (the notes falling 'between' the beats). Electronic or wind-up, it doesn't matter, but get a metronome at once!
Open up your mind to the new sounds, harmonies and rhythms that you will experience over the coming months and years. Invest in some good jazz guitar CDs (do a quick search on Google or visit Amazon), find a reputable local guitarist/teacher who can demonstrate this style of playing. Make sure that whoever you decide on to teach you has good references (ask around, listen to him/her play, what qualifications have they got, etc).
Finally, don't be afraid to have fun and experiment with jazz guitar. More than perhaps any other style, it is free and diverse with a variety of 'sub-styles' or 'sub-genres' to explore.
At the end of the day, just get out there and 'play guitar', don't hang back.
I wish you well with your musical exploration!
REVIEW: Blues Guitar Secrets
by John Mackinnon
Question: What do Muddy Waters, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen and John Mayer share in common?
Answer: besides having the distinction of being just a few of the many notable guitarists from the last 60 plus years, they also came from a Blues background or at least had a strong appreciation for the beauty of this mode of music.
Question: what do the musical styles of modern country, rock, metal and pop music share in common?
Answer: they represent some of the many musical genres that are often influenced by the Blues.
Besides the sheer fun of learning to play Blues Guitar it is also a highly recommended way to increase the musical tools that a student can use to write, accompany or solo with many types of music. Learning Blues Guitar can be a smart, educational progression for any guitar student with at least some proficiency with a few basic scales and barre chords.
The Purpose of the "Blues Guitar Secrets" DVD guitar lesson program is to quickly teach the student: -12-bar blues in multiple variations - blues chords and progressions - blues scales in all positions and keys - improvising Blues Guitar Solos
What makes a great guitar lesson program? 1. A great instruction program will go beyond the limitations of just reading a book by offering clear audio and video demonstrations of each lesson.
2. The program's author should ideally possess the following credentials: - play well themselves - have played in a band - toured with a band - recorded - must be a gifted and preferably experienced, formally educated guitar teacher.
About The Author Dan Denley: Dan Denley fits the above definition of the ideal guitar instructor well. He has been a member of 10 bands and has played in some large venue performances. Dan is a competitive music scholar, has a college degree in music and is a guitar instructor. He is also the author of the highly rated and successful beginner through intermediate guitar lesson program called "Amazing Guitar Secrets".
Dan has an easy to listen to voice coupled with a relaxed style of communicating. He wisely leaves in some playing mistakes while demonstrating the lessons. This is one of the reasons that makes Dan easy-to-relate-to and therefore effective in his teaching.
Who Will Benefit Most From This Program: Although learning to play blues guitar basics does not require advanced playing ability it does help if you are comfortable with at least one of the movable major or minor scale patterns and some barre chords. However, the Blues Guitar Secrets course will walk you through the Pentatonic and Blues Scales that are the fundamental building blocks of Blues music.
Is This Blues Course For Acoustic Or Electric Guitar Players? Both. Even though the author begins the course explaining the interesting details of his electric guitar set up, he demonstrates the lessons using a mix of both electric and acoustic guitars. One of the lesson sections is entitled "Acoustic Guitar Blues Riffs".
The Contents of Blues Guitar Secrets:
A. The Physical Parts
- (2) Blues Guitar lesson DVDs
- (1) Jam Tracks* CD ( included in the Gold Edition only )
- (1) Book - DVD Companion: Here's All The Notation, Tab and Chord Symbols That'll Have You Playing Like A Blues Master In No Time!"
- (1) Book - "Mastering The Pentatonic and Blues Scales: Discover the Secrets To Creating Your Own Solos and Killer Blues Riffs"
- (1) Book - Complete Step By Step Guide To The Jam Tracks* CD! - Includes tabs, chord symbols, fretboard diagrams and a complete theoretical analysis of each Jam Track* ( included in the Gold Edition only ).
- (1) Progress Tracker - (1) Intro Letter - (1) Step by Step Guide: "How To Use Your Blues Guitar Secrets Course"
* Jam Tracks are comprised of short blues songs that create an opportunity to practice rhythm parts or improvising solos while playing with a recorded back up band.
A Partial List of The Lessons:
- Intro To Blues Guitar - The Pentatonic Minor Movable Scale Patterns in 5 Positions - The Blues Pentatonic Movable Scale patterns - Blues Chord Progressions - Using Minor 7th, Dominant 7th, VI Major 7th, Dominant 9th and Minor 9th chords and scales as well as combination forms. - 12-Bar Blues: Open Position Chords - Acoustical Guitar Blues Riffs - Classic Blues Solo Licks - Blues Runs - Solo Practicing Techniques - Adding Bends - Strumming Techniques - Using Syncopation - Bonus Videos
The Negatives:
Dan sometimes refers to a musical term before he defines it. A few of the author's explanations of these terms are not crystal clear. This might occasionally frustrate the most inexperienced player but overall I didn't find this to be a huge problem.
If you listen to the Jam track CD using only the small speakers on a laptop computer you may find that the base guitar might not be easy to hear. Using head phones or listening to the Jam Tracks on a standard CD player seemed to easily eliminate this problem.
It would be nice if this course came with a protective case or organizer to keep all of the materials together.
None of these issues are significant but rather are just minor annoyances.
The Positives:
- The author: Dan Denley is experienced at putting together effective guitar instruction courses like "Amazing Guitar Secrets".
- The author: Dan Denley is an expert, experienced guitarist and a trained educator.
- The author: has a relaxed, organized and easy-to-relate-to style of communicating.
- This course takes the mystery out of how to improvise solos on the guitar.
- This course is easy to follow and understand
- excellent use of close ups to clarify fingering chords and scales.
- includes a Jam Track CD for developing essential skills for playing with a band.
- This course uses video, audio and the illustrated written word to appeal to all of the important senses when learning to play guitar. This is especially important if the student's learning style requires more than reading a book alone can provide.
- This course is primarily a video course with written support materials and not the other way around. I have found that it is less effective and more difficult if you must first read an instruction manual then find a video snippet on your computer that supports the book lesson. I like the much richer experience of watching, listening then emulating a live instructor demonstrating an entire lesson. It is much more effective to use the instruction book only as a means to clarify the video lesson. Blues Guitar Secrets got this part exactly right.
The Price Analysis:
The Standard Edition is $127 USD, (as of this writing ), and includes all of the items mentioned above in the "Contents" section without the Jam Track CD or Book.
The Gold Edition is $159 USD (as of this writing ), and includes all of the items mentioned above in the "Contents" section including the Jam Track CD and Book.
Blues Guitar Secrets by Dan Denley contains the equivalent of 6 months to one years worth of guitar lessons if you were to space them out as if you were taking lessons from a local guitar instructor. A local instructor typically will charge anywhere from $20 to $50 per weekly lesson. Your minimum cost, ( not including materials ), at only $20 per lesson for 6 months would be at least $520.
The choice comes down to:
- the Blues Guitar Secrets DVD Program at $127 to $159 or - a local instructor at $520 to $1040.
Guarantee: Blues Guitar Secrets comes with a 90 day, unconditional, money-back guarantee.
The Bottom Line: I can, without hesitation, recommend this Blues Guitar course for anyone that has basic guitar skills and a desire to learn the essential Blues Guitar basics including how to improvise solos. The course is organized, logical and priced right.
Question: What do Muddy Waters, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen and John Mayer share in common?
Answer: besides having the distinction of being just a few of the many notable guitarists from the last 60 plus years, they also came from a Blues background or at least had a strong appreciation for the beauty of this mode of music.
Question: what do the musical styles of modern country, rock, metal and pop music share in common?
Answer: they represent some of the many musical genres that are often influenced by the Blues.
Besides the sheer fun of learning to play Blues Guitar it is also a highly recommended way to increase the musical tools that a student can use to write, accompany or solo with many types of music. Learning Blues Guitar can be a smart, educational progression for any guitar student with at least some proficiency with a few basic scales and barre chords.
The Purpose of the "Blues Guitar Secrets" DVD guitar lesson program is to quickly teach the student: -12-bar blues in multiple variations - blues chords and progressions - blues scales in all positions and keys - improvising Blues Guitar Solos
What makes a great guitar lesson program? 1. A great instruction program will go beyond the limitations of just reading a book by offering clear audio and video demonstrations of each lesson.
2. The program's author should ideally possess the following credentials: - play well themselves - have played in a band - toured with a band - recorded - must be a gifted and preferably experienced, formally educated guitar teacher.
About The Author Dan Denley: Dan Denley fits the above definition of the ideal guitar instructor well. He has been a member of 10 bands and has played in some large venue performances. Dan is a competitive music scholar, has a college degree in music and is a guitar instructor. He is also the author of the highly rated and successful beginner through intermediate guitar lesson program called "Amazing Guitar Secrets".
Dan has an easy to listen to voice coupled with a relaxed style of communicating. He wisely leaves in some playing mistakes while demonstrating the lessons. This is one of the reasons that makes Dan easy-to-relate-to and therefore effective in his teaching.
Who Will Benefit Most From This Program: Although learning to play blues guitar basics does not require advanced playing ability it does help if you are comfortable with at least one of the movable major or minor scale patterns and some barre chords. However, the Blues Guitar Secrets course will walk you through the Pentatonic and Blues Scales that are the fundamental building blocks of Blues music.
Is This Blues Course For Acoustic Or Electric Guitar Players? Both. Even though the author begins the course explaining the interesting details of his electric guitar set up, he demonstrates the lessons using a mix of both electric and acoustic guitars. One of the lesson sections is entitled "Acoustic Guitar Blues Riffs".
The Contents of Blues Guitar Secrets:
A. The Physical Parts
- (2) Blues Guitar lesson DVDs
- (1) Jam Tracks* CD ( included in the Gold Edition only )
- (1) Book - DVD Companion: Here's All The Notation, Tab and Chord Symbols That'll Have You Playing Like A Blues Master In No Time!"
- (1) Book - "Mastering The Pentatonic and Blues Scales: Discover the Secrets To Creating Your Own Solos and Killer Blues Riffs"
- (1) Book - Complete Step By Step Guide To The Jam Tracks* CD! - Includes tabs, chord symbols, fretboard diagrams and a complete theoretical analysis of each Jam Track* ( included in the Gold Edition only ).
- (1) Progress Tracker - (1) Intro Letter - (1) Step by Step Guide: "How To Use Your Blues Guitar Secrets Course"
* Jam Tracks are comprised of short blues songs that create an opportunity to practice rhythm parts or improvising solos while playing with a recorded back up band.
A Partial List of The Lessons:
- Intro To Blues Guitar - The Pentatonic Minor Movable Scale Patterns in 5 Positions - The Blues Pentatonic Movable Scale patterns - Blues Chord Progressions - Using Minor 7th, Dominant 7th, VI Major 7th, Dominant 9th and Minor 9th chords and scales as well as combination forms. - 12-Bar Blues: Open Position Chords - Acoustical Guitar Blues Riffs - Classic Blues Solo Licks - Blues Runs - Solo Practicing Techniques - Adding Bends - Strumming Techniques - Using Syncopation - Bonus Videos
The Negatives:
Dan sometimes refers to a musical term before he defines it. A few of the author's explanations of these terms are not crystal clear. This might occasionally frustrate the most inexperienced player but overall I didn't find this to be a huge problem.
If you listen to the Jam track CD using only the small speakers on a laptop computer you may find that the base guitar might not be easy to hear. Using head phones or listening to the Jam Tracks on a standard CD player seemed to easily eliminate this problem.
It would be nice if this course came with a protective case or organizer to keep all of the materials together.
None of these issues are significant but rather are just minor annoyances.
The Positives:
- The author: Dan Denley is experienced at putting together effective guitar instruction courses like "Amazing Guitar Secrets".
- The author: Dan Denley is an expert, experienced guitarist and a trained educator.
- The author: has a relaxed, organized and easy-to-relate-to style of communicating.
- This course takes the mystery out of how to improvise solos on the guitar.
- This course is easy to follow and understand
- excellent use of close ups to clarify fingering chords and scales.
- includes a Jam Track CD for developing essential skills for playing with a band.
- This course uses video, audio and the illustrated written word to appeal to all of the important senses when learning to play guitar. This is especially important if the student's learning style requires more than reading a book alone can provide.
- This course is primarily a video course with written support materials and not the other way around. I have found that it is less effective and more difficult if you must first read an instruction manual then find a video snippet on your computer that supports the book lesson. I like the much richer experience of watching, listening then emulating a live instructor demonstrating an entire lesson. It is much more effective to use the instruction book only as a means to clarify the video lesson. Blues Guitar Secrets got this part exactly right.
The Price Analysis:
The Standard Edition is $127 USD, (as of this writing ), and includes all of the items mentioned above in the "Contents" section without the Jam Track CD or Book.
The Gold Edition is $159 USD (as of this writing ), and includes all of the items mentioned above in the "Contents" section including the Jam Track CD and Book.
Blues Guitar Secrets by Dan Denley contains the equivalent of 6 months to one years worth of guitar lessons if you were to space them out as if you were taking lessons from a local guitar instructor. A local instructor typically will charge anywhere from $20 to $50 per weekly lesson. Your minimum cost, ( not including materials ), at only $20 per lesson for 6 months would be at least $520.
The choice comes down to:
- the Blues Guitar Secrets DVD Program at $127 to $159 or - a local instructor at $520 to $1040.
Guarantee: Blues Guitar Secrets comes with a 90 day, unconditional, money-back guarantee.
The Bottom Line: I can, without hesitation, recommend this Blues Guitar course for anyone that has basic guitar skills and a desire to learn the essential Blues Guitar basics including how to improvise solos. The course is organized, logical and priced right.
Guitar Fundamentals: Guitar Chord Construction
by Brian Gabriel
Did you ever wonder why chords were constructed and named the way they are? A basic knowledge of chord construction is important because it makes the task of learning new chords much easier. Once you have a sold grasp of the fundamentals- then comes the fun part!
Let's look at some basic chord construction.
All chord names are taken from the Major or Minor scale key you are playing in. Each scale has 8 notes. Imagine you are playing in the key of C. The eight notes would be C, D, E, F, G, A, B, and a higher C. Now think about these notes in their relation to the root note (C in this example). C=1, D=2, E=3, F=4, G=5, A=6; what do you think B= ? I think you get it.
Chords themselves are made up of several notes in the same key played simultaneously. How about your basic major chord? A major chord has three notes in it: a 1, 3 and 5 note. In the key of C these notes would be C, E, and G (1, 3, 5). In the key of G the notes are G, B, and D.
Should we try a minor chord construction? A minor chord also has three notes in it: a 1, b3, and 5. The only note in the minor chord that is different than the major chord is the third note in the key. For a minor the note is lowered one half note from a 3 to a flat 3 (b3). In the key of C, the 3 is an E note and the b3 is an Eb (E Flat). Hence, Cm (C Minor) means you flat the 3 of the major chord and make it a minor. A minor G chord would be G, Bb, D (1, b3, 5).
The Major and Minor are the most basic chords to construct and also the most useful. Try to understand those and the rest will be logical and not very difficult. I have found the best way to learn the guitar is to watch somebody else and then copy them. A great resource for online guitar lessons in video format can be found here http://www.nextlevelguitar.com/go.php?offer=bgousa&pid. Simply watch and listen to the videos and then practice along. You will become an accomplished guitar player in no time!
Here are some more advanced chord constructions for your learning. You can find the fingering for any chord on a free web resource at http://chordfind.com/.
Dmaj7 indicates that you add another note to the 1-3-5 of a standard major chord, in this case the 7. So a Dmaj7 would have D, F#, A, and C#.
Csus4 tells you to replace the 3 with a 4. Hence, a Csus4 would have C, F, G (1-4-5)
Dominant Seventh Chords are very useful and very common chords. These are chords with a lowered seventh. A C7 Chords would have C-E-G-Bb (1,3,5,7b).
Augmented chords have the 5th raised a half-step (one fret). The C+ (C Augmented) is C-E-G# (1-3-5#).
Chords with odd-numbered tones, such as maj7, 9, 11, 13 are called extensions. A C11 is C-D-F-G-Bb.
Just make sure you learn chord construction for the basic chords first (Major and Minor) then move on to the more advanced chords and you will have no problems. Use the resources to help you build a solid foundation. You are well on your way to understanding how chords are constructed.
Did you ever wonder why chords were constructed and named the way they are? A basic knowledge of chord construction is important because it makes the task of learning new chords much easier. Once you have a sold grasp of the fundamentals- then comes the fun part!
Let's look at some basic chord construction.
All chord names are taken from the Major or Minor scale key you are playing in. Each scale has 8 notes. Imagine you are playing in the key of C. The eight notes would be C, D, E, F, G, A, B, and a higher C. Now think about these notes in their relation to the root note (C in this example). C=1, D=2, E=3, F=4, G=5, A=6; what do you think B= ? I think you get it.
Chords themselves are made up of several notes in the same key played simultaneously. How about your basic major chord? A major chord has three notes in it: a 1, 3 and 5 note. In the key of C these notes would be C, E, and G (1, 3, 5). In the key of G the notes are G, B, and D.
Should we try a minor chord construction? A minor chord also has three notes in it: a 1, b3, and 5. The only note in the minor chord that is different than the major chord is the third note in the key. For a minor the note is lowered one half note from a 3 to a flat 3 (b3). In the key of C, the 3 is an E note and the b3 is an Eb (E Flat). Hence, Cm (C Minor) means you flat the 3 of the major chord and make it a minor. A minor G chord would be G, Bb, D (1, b3, 5).
The Major and Minor are the most basic chords to construct and also the most useful. Try to understand those and the rest will be logical and not very difficult. I have found the best way to learn the guitar is to watch somebody else and then copy them. A great resource for online guitar lessons in video format can be found here http://www.nextlevelguitar.com/go.php?offer=bgousa&pid. Simply watch and listen to the videos and then practice along. You will become an accomplished guitar player in no time!
Here are some more advanced chord constructions for your learning. You can find the fingering for any chord on a free web resource at http://chordfind.com/.
Dmaj7 indicates that you add another note to the 1-3-5 of a standard major chord, in this case the 7. So a Dmaj7 would have D, F#, A, and C#.
Csus4 tells you to replace the 3 with a 4. Hence, a Csus4 would have C, F, G (1-4-5)
Dominant Seventh Chords are very useful and very common chords. These are chords with a lowered seventh. A C7 Chords would have C-E-G-Bb (1,3,5,7b).
Augmented chords have the 5th raised a half-step (one fret). The C+ (C Augmented) is C-E-G# (1-3-5#).
Chords with odd-numbered tones, such as maj7, 9, 11, 13 are called extensions. A C11 is C-D-F-G-Bb.
Just make sure you learn chord construction for the basic chords first (Major and Minor) then move on to the more advanced chords and you will have no problems. Use the resources to help you build a solid foundation. You are well on your way to understanding how chords are constructed.
7 Tips For How To Play A Guitar
by Ed Vickerry
This article contains seven tips for how to play a guitar. If you read and follow these tips, they will help you achieve your musical goals.
1. Pick a guitar that's right for you
Take the time to pick out the right guitar for your needs. You should like the way it looks and the way it sounds. It should also be the right size for your body. Finally, the strings should be close enough to the fretboard that it is easy to press down the strings to make chords and notes.
The more you like your guitar, the more you'll want to play it.
2. Create Your Own Practice Space
You should practice in the same place every day. If you have the space, it's best to make a place that's just for guitar practice. All you need is a comfortable chair without arms, a music stand or small table, and good lighting so that you can see what you're doing. If possible, a place to put your guitar when you're not using it would be helpful, too.
3. Find a Teacher
Find a guitar teacher you like, and take at least one or two lessons. Or, find a group class. Group classes, offered at community colleges or adult education centers, can be a better value than private lessons. Either way, it's good to have at least a few lessons with a teacher so that you can avoid developing bad habits.
4. Practice Every Day
For best results and continuous improvement of your playing, try to practice every single day. Your playing will improve faster with short daily practice sessions than it will with longer practice sessions that take place less often -- even if the total practice time is the same.
5. Play For Other People
Once you've learned a few pieces, or songs, that you can play all the way through without mistakes, play them for a friend or family member. When you can do that without making mistakes, try playing at a local open mike or at your place of worship. This will really build your confidence.
6. Play With Other People
Another way to improve both your confidence and your ability is to play with another person. You probably know one or two people who play instruments and like the same kind of music as you. Arrange to get together and play some songs that you all know, or learn some songs together.
7. Learn Some Music Theory
Learning some basic music theory might seem dull, but it will help you in the long run. For starters, learn how scales and chords work. Any good teacher should be able to help you with this, or you can use a theory book or a web site.
Remember, follow these tips and you will be well on your way to meeting your musical goals.
This article contains seven tips for how to play a guitar. If you read and follow these tips, they will help you achieve your musical goals.
1. Pick a guitar that's right for you
Take the time to pick out the right guitar for your needs. You should like the way it looks and the way it sounds. It should also be the right size for your body. Finally, the strings should be close enough to the fretboard that it is easy to press down the strings to make chords and notes.
The more you like your guitar, the more you'll want to play it.
2. Create Your Own Practice Space
You should practice in the same place every day. If you have the space, it's best to make a place that's just for guitar practice. All you need is a comfortable chair without arms, a music stand or small table, and good lighting so that you can see what you're doing. If possible, a place to put your guitar when you're not using it would be helpful, too.
3. Find a Teacher
Find a guitar teacher you like, and take at least one or two lessons. Or, find a group class. Group classes, offered at community colleges or adult education centers, can be a better value than private lessons. Either way, it's good to have at least a few lessons with a teacher so that you can avoid developing bad habits.
4. Practice Every Day
For best results and continuous improvement of your playing, try to practice every single day. Your playing will improve faster with short daily practice sessions than it will with longer practice sessions that take place less often -- even if the total practice time is the same.
5. Play For Other People
Once you've learned a few pieces, or songs, that you can play all the way through without mistakes, play them for a friend or family member. When you can do that without making mistakes, try playing at a local open mike or at your place of worship. This will really build your confidence.
6. Play With Other People
Another way to improve both your confidence and your ability is to play with another person. You probably know one or two people who play instruments and like the same kind of music as you. Arrange to get together and play some songs that you all know, or learn some songs together.
7. Learn Some Music Theory
Learning some basic music theory might seem dull, but it will help you in the long run. For starters, learn how scales and chords work. Any good teacher should be able to help you with this, or you can use a theory book or a web site.
Remember, follow these tips and you will be well on your way to meeting your musical goals.
History
1930s:
In the 1930s, inventor Paul Tutmarc from Seattle, Washington, developed a guitar-style electric bass instrument that was fretted and designed to be held and played horizontally. Audiovox's sales catalogue of 1935-6 (also featuring a solid body six-string electric guitar) listed the world’s first fretted, solid body electric bass that was designed to be played horizontally — the Model #736 Electronic Bass Fiddle (German text). The change to a "guitar" form made the instrument easier to hold and transport, and the addition of guitar-style frets enabled bassists to play in tune more easily and made the new electric bass easier to learn. Tutmarc's inventions never caught the public imagination and almost no further development of the instrument took place until the 1950s.
1950s-1960s:
In the 1950s, Leo Fender developed the first mass-produced electric bass. His Fender Precision Bass, introduced in 1951, became a widely copied industry standard. The Precision Bass (or "P-bass") evolved from a simple, uncontoured 'slab' body design similar to that of a Telecaster with a single piece, four-pole pickup to a contoured body design with beveled edges for comfort and a single "split coil pickup."
First introduced in 1960, The Jazz Bass was known as the Deluxe Bass and was meant to accompany the Jazzmaster guitar. The Jazz Bass (often referred to as a "J-bass") featured two single-coil pickups, one close to the bridge and one in the Precision bass' position. The earliest production basses had a 'stacked' volume and tone control for each pickup. This was soon changed to the familiar configuration of a volume control for each pickup, and a single, passive tone control. The Jazz Bass' neck was narrower at the nut than the Precision bass (1 1/2" vs 1 3/4").
Another visual difference that set the Jazz Bass apart from the Precision is its "offset-waist" body. Pickup positions on other manufacturers' basses are often referred to as "P" or "J" position pickups, in reference to Precision and Jazz basses. Fender also began production of the Mustang Bass; a 30" scale length instrument used by bassists such as Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads ("P" and "J" basses have a scale length of 34").
In the 1950s and 1960s, the term "Fender bass" was widely used to describe the bass guitar, due to Fender's early dominance in the market for mass-produced bass guitars. The term "electric bass" began replacing "Fender bass" in the late 1960s, however, as evidenced by the title of Carol Kaye's popular bass instructional book in 1969 (How to Play the Electric Bass) and the use of the term "electric bass" by U.S. musicians' unions. The instrument is also referred to as an "electric bass guitar," "electronic bass," or simply "bass."(IPA: [beɪs]) pronounced same as "base").
1960s and 1970s
Following Fender's lead, Gibson released the violin-shaped EB-1 Bass in 1953[3], followed by the more conventional-looking EB-0 Bass in 1959. As with Fender's designs, Gibson relied heavily upon an existing guitar design for this bass; the EB-0 was very similar to a Gibson SG in appearance (although the earliest examples have a slab-sided body shape closer to that of the double-cutaway Les Paul Special).
Whereas Fender basses had pickups mounted in positions in between the base of the neck and the top of the bridge, many of Gibson's early basses featured one humbucking pickup mounted directly against the neck pocket. The EB-3, introduced in 1961, also had a "mini-humbucker" at the bridge position. Gibson basses also tended to be smaller, sleeker instruments; Gibson did not produce a 34" scale bass until 1963 with the release of the Thunderbird, which was also the first Gibson bass to utilize dual-humbucking pickups in a more traditional position, about halfway between the neck and bridge.
With the explosion of the popularity of rock music in the 1960s, Rickenbacker, Danelectro and many other companies started to produce their own version of the electric bass. The 1970s also saw the founding of Music Man Instruments, owned by Leo Fender, which produced the StingRay, the first widely-produced bass with active (powered) electronics. Specific models became identified with particular styles of music, such as the Rickenbacker 4000 series, which became identified with progressive rock bassists like Chris Squire of Yes.
In 1971 Alembic established the template for what would subsequently be known as "boutique" or "high end" electric basses. These expensive, custom-tailored instruments featured unique designs, premium wood bodies chosen and hand-finished by master craftspeople, onboard electronics for preamplification and equalization, and innovative construction techniques such as multi-laminate neck-through-body construction and graphite necks. In the mid-1970s, Alembic and other "boutique" bass manufacturers such as Tobias, and Ken Smith produced 4- string basses and 5-string basses with a low "B" string. In 1975, bassist Anthony Jackson commissioned luthier Carl Thompson to a 6-string bass tuned (low to high) B, E, A, D, G, C.
1980s-2000s
In the 1980s, bass designers continued to explore new approaches. Ned Steinberger introduced a headless bass in 1979 and continued his innovations in the 1980s, using graphite and other new materials and (in 1984) introducing the Trans-Trem tremolo bar. In 1987, the Guild Guitar Corporation launched the fretless Ashbory bass, which used silicone rubber strings and a piezoelectric pickup to achieve a "double bass" sound with a short 18" scale length. In the late 1980s, MTV's "unplugged" show helped to popularize hollow-bodied acoustic bass guitars amplified with pickups.
During the 1990s, as five-string basses became more widely available and more affordable, an increasing number of bassists in genres ranging from metal to gospel began using five-string instruments for added lower range. As well, the onboard battery-powered electronics such as preamplifiers and equalizer circuits, which were previously only available on expensive "boutique" instruments, became increasingly available on modestly-priced basses.
In the 2000s, some bass manufacturers included digital modelling circuits inside the instrument to recreate tones and sounds from many models of basses (e.g., Line 6's Variax bass). Traditional bass designs such as the Fender Precision Bass and Fender Jazz Bass remained popular in the 2000s; in 2006, a 60th Anniversary P-bass was introduced by Fender.
In the 1930s, inventor Paul Tutmarc from Seattle, Washington, developed a guitar-style electric bass instrument that was fretted and designed to be held and played horizontally. Audiovox's sales catalogue of 1935-6 (also featuring a solid body six-string electric guitar) listed the world’s first fretted, solid body electric bass that was designed to be played horizontally — the Model #736 Electronic Bass Fiddle (German text). The change to a "guitar" form made the instrument easier to hold and transport, and the addition of guitar-style frets enabled bassists to play in tune more easily and made the new electric bass easier to learn. Tutmarc's inventions never caught the public imagination and almost no further development of the instrument took place until the 1950s.
1950s-1960s:
In the 1950s, Leo Fender developed the first mass-produced electric bass. His Fender Precision Bass, introduced in 1951, became a widely copied industry standard. The Precision Bass (or "P-bass") evolved from a simple, uncontoured 'slab' body design similar to that of a Telecaster with a single piece, four-pole pickup to a contoured body design with beveled edges for comfort and a single "split coil pickup."
First introduced in 1960, The Jazz Bass was known as the Deluxe Bass and was meant to accompany the Jazzmaster guitar. The Jazz Bass (often referred to as a "J-bass") featured two single-coil pickups, one close to the bridge and one in the Precision bass' position. The earliest production basses had a 'stacked' volume and tone control for each pickup. This was soon changed to the familiar configuration of a volume control for each pickup, and a single, passive tone control. The Jazz Bass' neck was narrower at the nut than the Precision bass (1 1/2" vs 1 3/4").
Another visual difference that set the Jazz Bass apart from the Precision is its "offset-waist" body. Pickup positions on other manufacturers' basses are often referred to as "P" or "J" position pickups, in reference to Precision and Jazz basses. Fender also began production of the Mustang Bass; a 30" scale length instrument used by bassists such as Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads ("P" and "J" basses have a scale length of 34").
In the 1950s and 1960s, the term "Fender bass" was widely used to describe the bass guitar, due to Fender's early dominance in the market for mass-produced bass guitars. The term "electric bass" began replacing "Fender bass" in the late 1960s, however, as evidenced by the title of Carol Kaye's popular bass instructional book in 1969 (How to Play the Electric Bass) and the use of the term "electric bass" by U.S. musicians' unions. The instrument is also referred to as an "electric bass guitar," "electronic bass," or simply "bass."(IPA: [beɪs]) pronounced same as "base").
1960s and 1970s
Following Fender's lead, Gibson released the violin-shaped EB-1 Bass in 1953[3], followed by the more conventional-looking EB-0 Bass in 1959. As with Fender's designs, Gibson relied heavily upon an existing guitar design for this bass; the EB-0 was very similar to a Gibson SG in appearance (although the earliest examples have a slab-sided body shape closer to that of the double-cutaway Les Paul Special).
Whereas Fender basses had pickups mounted in positions in between the base of the neck and the top of the bridge, many of Gibson's early basses featured one humbucking pickup mounted directly against the neck pocket. The EB-3, introduced in 1961, also had a "mini-humbucker" at the bridge position. Gibson basses also tended to be smaller, sleeker instruments; Gibson did not produce a 34" scale bass until 1963 with the release of the Thunderbird, which was also the first Gibson bass to utilize dual-humbucking pickups in a more traditional position, about halfway between the neck and bridge.
With the explosion of the popularity of rock music in the 1960s, Rickenbacker, Danelectro and many other companies started to produce their own version of the electric bass. The 1970s also saw the founding of Music Man Instruments, owned by Leo Fender, which produced the StingRay, the first widely-produced bass with active (powered) electronics. Specific models became identified with particular styles of music, such as the Rickenbacker 4000 series, which became identified with progressive rock bassists like Chris Squire of Yes.
In 1971 Alembic established the template for what would subsequently be known as "boutique" or "high end" electric basses. These expensive, custom-tailored instruments featured unique designs, premium wood bodies chosen and hand-finished by master craftspeople, onboard electronics for preamplification and equalization, and innovative construction techniques such as multi-laminate neck-through-body construction and graphite necks. In the mid-1970s, Alembic and other "boutique" bass manufacturers such as Tobias, and Ken Smith produced 4- string basses and 5-string basses with a low "B" string. In 1975, bassist Anthony Jackson commissioned luthier Carl Thompson to a 6-string bass tuned (low to high) B, E, A, D, G, C.
1980s-2000s
In the 1980s, bass designers continued to explore new approaches. Ned Steinberger introduced a headless bass in 1979 and continued his innovations in the 1980s, using graphite and other new materials and (in 1984) introducing the Trans-Trem tremolo bar. In 1987, the Guild Guitar Corporation launched the fretless Ashbory bass, which used silicone rubber strings and a piezoelectric pickup to achieve a "double bass" sound with a short 18" scale length. In the late 1980s, MTV's "unplugged" show helped to popularize hollow-bodied acoustic bass guitars amplified with pickups.
During the 1990s, as five-string basses became more widely available and more affordable, an increasing number of bassists in genres ranging from metal to gospel began using five-string instruments for added lower range. As well, the onboard battery-powered electronics such as preamplifiers and equalizer circuits, which were previously only available on expensive "boutique" instruments, became increasingly available on modestly-priced basses.
In the 2000s, some bass manufacturers included digital modelling circuits inside the instrument to recreate tones and sounds from many models of basses (e.g., Line 6's Variax bass). Traditional bass designs such as the Fender Precision Bass and Fender Jazz Bass remained popular in the 2000s; in 2006, a 60th Anniversary P-bass was introduced by Fender.
Bass guitar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The electric bass guitar (or "electric bass") is a bass string instrument played with the fingers by plucking, slapping, or using a pick. The bass is typically similar in appearance and construction to an electric guitar, but with a larger body, a longer neck and scale length, and four strings tuned one octave lower in pitch than the bass strings of a guitar. Since the 1950s, the electric bass has largely replaced the double bass in popular music. The bass is typically used to provide the low-pitched bassline(s) and bass runs in many different styles of music ranging from rock and metal to blues and jazz. The electric bass is also used as a soloing instrument in jazz, fusion, Latin, funk, and some rock styles.
History
Guitar Bass:
by john@microphoneheaven.com
A little over a year ago I started having ideas for a new instrument...one that would combine a four string bass with a six string guitar. I played both the guitar and bass, and some of the musical ideas I heard in my head required both instruments to be played at the same time. I struggled to recreate these sounds using my six string bass, to no avail. After Jake Kot introduced me to Portland luthier David Minnieweather, my ideas started to become possible. David took the design that I had sketched out on paper, and made a full-scale drawing of the instrument he wanted to build for me. We worked out some of the details, and he started building. Now, this instrument I've had in my head for more than a year is finally in my hands. Whenever I think about it, I smile. Thanks Dave. Thanks Jake.
Specs for the first EVER guitar bass:
Neck-through body, 9 piece flamed maple and purple heart neck. The core body wood is african white wood, with a mouth-watering flamed tasmanian black wood top and back(the pictures really don't do the wood justice). The bass fretboard is palisander, the guitar fretboard is ebony. The bass scale length is 34 inches, and the guitar scale lenth is 25 1/2 inches. The bass side has 14 frets, and the guitar side has 22 frets. The bass electronics feature the Jake Kot signature Bartolini pickups and preamp. The guitar electronics are Seymour Duncan ('59 in the neck Duncan Distortion in the bridge). Two output jacks (one for the bass electronics and one for the guitar). The bass tuning gears are Gotoh, and the guitar tuning gears are locking Planet Waves (D'Addario). The knobs were made by THG out of flamed maple, tasmanian black wood, and purple heart. Both the bass bridge and guitar bridge are standard Hipshot models. If you have any further questions about the guitar bass, contact me. Thanks for your interest
Me with the beast strapped on. And no, the neck is not too wide. It's actually very comfortable; it's thinner than most bass necks. I really wouldn't recommend anyone with very short fingers trying to play it, though. It is a little bit of a stretch across to the bass side. Chording on the guitar side is incredibly comfortable because of this layout. If the guitar fretboard was on the top, chords would be insanely difficult. I'm glad I thought of this important design feature. It wouldn't be any fun to realize this after the instrument was built. Oh, and the tuning is standard...EADG on the bass side, EADGBE on the guitar side. Although, if I really wanted to mess with people I could do piccollo bass tuning, and baritone guitar tuning. =)
better picture of the figuring in the flamed tasmanian black wood. Even this picture doesn't really show the depth. And yes, the two fretboards each have their own radius, and seperate frets.
A close-up picture of the guitar bass body. You can see a little bit of the figuring in the top. The knobs on the bottom row from right to left are as follows: guitar volume, guitar tone, bass active high frequency boost/cut, bass active mid frequency boost/cut, bass active low frequency boost/cut, bass passive high frequency tone. The top knobs right to left are: bass volume(with a push/pull active to passive mode), bass pickup blend. The switches right to left are: guitar pickup selecter, bass low frequency selecter, bass mid frequency selector, bass high frequency selecter. Yeah, I know...only three of the knobs and switches control the guitar side. Bass guitar generally requires a lot more tone sculpting than guitar, though. I tend to prefer active bass electronics, but I like passive guitar
electronics better. I'm just weird like that.
A candid pose with my new guitar bass. Surprisingly, it fits on a regular guitar stand. I think this is going to be my new myspace picture. Notice the shirt I'm wearing? AccuGroove, got groove? Yeah, now I do...with the new instrument. I already have an AccuGroove cabinet for the bass. Now I'm going to have to get two guitar-size AccuGroove cabs to set up the stereo-chorus guitar rig I want for the guitar side of the guitar bass.
The original sketch I brought to the luthier, with almost all of the details worked out. I wanted to make sure my insanity made as much sense as possible before bringing the idea to a builder. Click on the sketch to view all the details.
A little over a year ago I started having ideas for a new instrument...one that would combine a four string bass with a six string guitar. I played both the guitar and bass, and some of the musical ideas I heard in my head required both instruments to be played at the same time. I struggled to recreate these sounds using my six string bass, to no avail. After Jake Kot introduced me to Portland luthier David Minnieweather, my ideas started to become possible. David took the design that I had sketched out on paper, and made a full-scale drawing of the instrument he wanted to build for me. We worked out some of the details, and he started building. Now, this instrument I've had in my head for more than a year is finally in my hands. Whenever I think about it, I smile. Thanks Dave. Thanks Jake.
Specs for the first EVER guitar bass:
Neck-through body, 9 piece flamed maple and purple heart neck. The core body wood is african white wood, with a mouth-watering flamed tasmanian black wood top and back(the pictures really don't do the wood justice). The bass fretboard is palisander, the guitar fretboard is ebony. The bass scale length is 34 inches, and the guitar scale lenth is 25 1/2 inches. The bass side has 14 frets, and the guitar side has 22 frets. The bass electronics feature the Jake Kot signature Bartolini pickups and preamp. The guitar electronics are Seymour Duncan ('59 in the neck Duncan Distortion in the bridge). Two output jacks (one for the bass electronics and one for the guitar). The bass tuning gears are Gotoh, and the guitar tuning gears are locking Planet Waves (D'Addario). The knobs were made by THG out of flamed maple, tasmanian black wood, and purple heart. Both the bass bridge and guitar bridge are standard Hipshot models. If you have any further questions about the guitar bass, contact me. Thanks for your interest
Me with the beast strapped on. And no, the neck is not too wide. It's actually very comfortable; it's thinner than most bass necks. I really wouldn't recommend anyone with very short fingers trying to play it, though. It is a little bit of a stretch across to the bass side. Chording on the guitar side is incredibly comfortable because of this layout. If the guitar fretboard was on the top, chords would be insanely difficult. I'm glad I thought of this important design feature. It wouldn't be any fun to realize this after the instrument was built. Oh, and the tuning is standard...EADG on the bass side, EADGBE on the guitar side. Although, if I really wanted to mess with people I could do piccollo bass tuning, and baritone guitar tuning. =)
better picture of the figuring in the flamed tasmanian black wood. Even this picture doesn't really show the depth. And yes, the two fretboards each have their own radius, and seperate frets.
A close-up picture of the guitar bass body. You can see a little bit of the figuring in the top. The knobs on the bottom row from right to left are as follows: guitar volume, guitar tone, bass active high frequency boost/cut, bass active mid frequency boost/cut, bass active low frequency boost/cut, bass passive high frequency tone. The top knobs right to left are: bass volume(with a push/pull active to passive mode), bass pickup blend. The switches right to left are: guitar pickup selecter, bass low frequency selecter, bass mid frequency selector, bass high frequency selecter. Yeah, I know...only three of the knobs and switches control the guitar side. Bass guitar generally requires a lot more tone sculpting than guitar, though. I tend to prefer active bass electronics, but I like passive guitar
electronics better. I'm just weird like that.
A candid pose with my new guitar bass. Surprisingly, it fits on a regular guitar stand. I think this is going to be my new myspace picture. Notice the shirt I'm wearing? AccuGroove, got groove? Yeah, now I do...with the new instrument. I already have an AccuGroove cabinet for the bass. Now I'm going to have to get two guitar-size AccuGroove cabs to set up the stereo-chorus guitar rig I want for the guitar side of the guitar bass.
The original sketch I brought to the luthier, with almost all of the details worked out. I wanted to make sure my insanity made as much sense as possible before bringing the idea to a builder. Click on the sketch to view all the details.
Second Line Drumming
Second Line / Street Beats
What is Second Line?
Have you ever been asked to play a "second line" beat on a particular song? I know I have. Usually I cringe and realize that, although I basically think it involves a marching style on the snare drum, I really don't have a clue as to what to play. Luckily my experience and musicality got me by for many years. I learned how to fake things "very" well. :)
Well, I asked around a bit and was surprised to learn that the history of second line is a bit cloudy. Nobody can seem to agree on how it evolved. I heard stories about there being a line of musicians and staff that marched behind the mourners (second line) at a funeral parade in New Orleans. Apparently the musicians would play funeral marches on the way to the funeral and more livelier pieces on the return home. Some would say that it's a secondary rhythm section (second line) that answers the calls of a "first-line" rhythm section in a New Orleans Mardi Gras parade. The first line would play a rhythm and the "second line" would respond to it. Others will tell you that it's just something that comes from New Orleans music and involves a marching snare rhythm. They'll admit that they don't know where it comes from but they're quick to show you an example of how they think it's played.
Depending on who you ask, you're sure to get some very interesting answers. I think the most important thing is; What are we supposed to play when someone asks us to play a "second-line" rhythm or a second line funk beat? From a little research, here's what I've learned so far about second line drumming:
#1: Second line drumming is associated with the city of New Orleans. It seems to have originated there and developed in many forms through the years.
#2: Second line drumming involves simple cadence type (marching) snare beats.
#3: Drummers like Zigaboo Modeliste and Johnny Vidacovich mixed second line with syncopated funk, developing a style called "second-line funk drumming". This style was popularized in many famous bands that came from New Orleans like the Meters (see below).
#4: Second line drumming often involves a 3/2 son clave not dissimiliar to the Bo Diddley beat although it doesn't necessarily always follow that rule. Listen to this variation --> http://www.zigaboo.com/media/zig_me.mp3
#5: Second line beats are also called "Street Beats".
So after reading up on things and listening to a handful of second line drummers, I've determined that although there are a lot of variations of second line you can play, most follow a specific feel and style. The best way to get started would be to play a simple Bo Diddley beat, mixing in an occasional double stroke roll at the beginning or end of the phrase. Play the bass drum with the accents or simply play "4 on the floor" (straight quarter notes). Listen to some of the examples below and check out the other resources listed.
What is Second Line?
Have you ever been asked to play a "second line" beat on a particular song? I know I have. Usually I cringe and realize that, although I basically think it involves a marching style on the snare drum, I really don't have a clue as to what to play. Luckily my experience and musicality got me by for many years. I learned how to fake things "very" well. :)
Well, I asked around a bit and was surprised to learn that the history of second line is a bit cloudy. Nobody can seem to agree on how it evolved. I heard stories about there being a line of musicians and staff that marched behind the mourners (second line) at a funeral parade in New Orleans. Apparently the musicians would play funeral marches on the way to the funeral and more livelier pieces on the return home. Some would say that it's a secondary rhythm section (second line) that answers the calls of a "first-line" rhythm section in a New Orleans Mardi Gras parade. The first line would play a rhythm and the "second line" would respond to it. Others will tell you that it's just something that comes from New Orleans music and involves a marching snare rhythm. They'll admit that they don't know where it comes from but they're quick to show you an example of how they think it's played.
Depending on who you ask, you're sure to get some very interesting answers. I think the most important thing is; What are we supposed to play when someone asks us to play a "second-line" rhythm or a second line funk beat? From a little research, here's what I've learned so far about second line drumming:
#1: Second line drumming is associated with the city of New Orleans. It seems to have originated there and developed in many forms through the years.
#2: Second line drumming involves simple cadence type (marching) snare beats.
#3: Drummers like Zigaboo Modeliste and Johnny Vidacovich mixed second line with syncopated funk, developing a style called "second-line funk drumming". This style was popularized in many famous bands that came from New Orleans like the Meters (see below).
#4: Second line drumming often involves a 3/2 son clave not dissimiliar to the Bo Diddley beat although it doesn't necessarily always follow that rule. Listen to this variation --> http://www.zigaboo.com/media/zig_me.mp3
#5: Second line beats are also called "Street Beats".
So after reading up on things and listening to a handful of second line drummers, I've determined that although there are a lot of variations of second line you can play, most follow a specific feel and style. The best way to get started would be to play a simple Bo Diddley beat, mixing in an occasional double stroke roll at the beginning or end of the phrase. Play the bass drum with the accents or simply play "4 on the floor" (straight quarter notes). Listen to some of the examples below and check out the other resources listed.
Practicing Drums - by Mat Marucci
Are you sure you know "how" to practice drums?
Pro drummer Mat Marucci offers a valuable article on this subject.
There is a saying regarding practicing that has been attributed to the concert pianist Vladimir Horowitz and paraphrased by many. One version of this saying is: "If I miss one day I know it. If I miss two days my wife knows it. If I miss three days my audience knows it." That is arguably the consummate statement on the importance of regular practice.
The hours we all put into practicing technique are very important to us. We all do it to maintain or improve our playing. However, often much of the time spent behind the drums is not put to the best use.
Time spent practicing brings up the old debate of quality versus quantity. If the musician's focus is right, more can be accomplished in thirty minutes time than two hours of time with the instrument.
Many musicians do not really practice but "play" their instruments. That is to say that they sit down (or stand) with the instrument and play what they know. This can be great for the maintenance or polishing of certain techniques but, with those exceptions, no progress is being made.
The essence of the practice session should be musicality while striving for perfection and improvement. Even while practicing, the musicians should concentrate on playing music!
Perfection, improvement and musicality are the guidelines for a productive practice session.
Perfection: Every technique should be done as perfectly as possible. This includes hand positions, stickings, stick height, wrist movements, touch, etc. Practicing wrong will develop improper technique - and all execution is affected by technique. To strive for perfection is the first step in practicing.
Improvement: Each practice session should create a challenge for the musician to accomplish something never previously done. This could be a new rudiment, piece of music, or exercise. It could also be a new tempo for an old exercise, etc. And the tempo does not necessarily have to be faster - just different. Old exercise books are excellent ways to improve. (Every book should be played at least twice, because it is never mastered the first time through.) But, whatever it is, some new accomplishment should be attempted at every practice session.
Musicality: The purpose of playing any instrument is to play music. And music should
be kept foremost in mind whenever practicing. Even when playing a rudiment or
technical exercise it should be thought of musically and how it can be applied to music. As stated earlier, musicality is the essence of playing an instrument.
The amount of practice time will vary from individual to individual and also from beginner to professional. A beginning drummer might practice thirty minutes to one hour a day and increase that to two hours per day as he progresses after the first year or so of study. If the student continues to be serious and is looking toward or is in a college program as a music major, the practice time should increase to approximately two to four hours per day. As a struggling career minded professional it can increase to four to eight hours per day. As steady engagements, playing situations and other responsibilities increase with a developing career (and with life in general) practice time then starts to decrease again. It might be one to two hours per day again or maybe two to four hours three times a week - whatever the individual needs are and professional and personal schedule allow. But, whatever the situation allows, practice should be continued throughout one's professional life under any conditions.
Modern medicine now has practitioners who specialize in problems peculiar to musicians of all instruments. They are finding that players of the same instrument experience the same or similar problems. (Two of the problems for drummers are carpal tunnel syndrome and lower back pains.) To alleviate and/or prevent some of these problems experts recommend resting for five minutes each half hour instead of continuous practice. The recommendation is twenty-five minutes - practice, five minutes - rest.
I have made a list of some important points that if adhered to should not only make your practice session more productive but also more enjoyable. (We all enjoy what we're doing much more when we can see advancement and improvement.)
1) Watch Your Hand Position: this is the No. 1 problem I have found with drummers and students - from beginner to advanced. Whichever grip you use, when practicing always be sure your hands are in the correct position. It just doesn't make sense to put time in practicing technique and not have your hand positions correct. These positions are used for a reason and your development will be limited if you do not use them correctly. Once your hand position improves you will find your playing will become much cleaner and faster.
2) Sticking: this is the second biggest problem I've come across in teaching. Keep in mind the phrase "one stick up, one stick down" and practice that way. You will always have a stick in position to make a stroke either from the high ("up") position or from the low ("down") position. With concentration on "sticking" your hand techniques will start to flow much more smoothly.
3) Stick Height: this is different from sticking in that it refers to how high you bring the sticks. Whether you work from a full 90 degree position, a 45 degree angle or anything in between the important point is that both sticks return to the same height. Because most of us are not ambidextrous we have a tendency to favor our strong hand and bring that stick to a higher position than the weak hand. This means one stick is traveling a shorter distance to reach the drum whenever a stroke is made. Think about it. It stands to reason that if one stick is traveling eight inches and the other only five inches, the stick farther away has to move faster to reach the drum in the same time interval as the closer stick. This also means the rebounds will be weaker with the closer stick. Are your Single Stroke and Long Rolls uneven? Stick height is probably at least part of the reason - along with the Hand Position and Sticking. Concentrate on these three common problems and you will see a vast improvemet in your technique.
4) Play Off The Drum: unless they have learned this somewhere along the way, most drummers, especially heavy hitters, play down into the drum instead of off it. When making your stroke think up and bring the stick away from the head immediately after striking it. Some teachers describe this as "drawing' or "pulling" the sound out of the drum. The shorter the time the stick is on the drumhead the more resonant and responsive the drum will be. Thus, a cleaner and fuller tone and increased stick speed.
5) Learn And Practice The Rudiments: even if you only spend a minimal amount of time on them do at least something. If you only study one rudiment a week - just one - you will have learned all 26 in exactly six months. You do not have to be a rudimental champ but the knowledge will be a definite plus - and you'll feel good about your accomplishment besides.
6) Work With A Metronome: use it at different speeds including the slowest ones. It won't make your playing stiff but will improve your time and meter. And, if you ever encounter a click track in the recording studio you will be thankful for any time spent with a metronome.
7) Keep The Practicing Habit: We all know that occasionally time is at a premium and a full practice session is impossible. On those days at least do something - even if it's just a 10 or 20 minute keep-in-shape or warm-up routine.
8) Strive For Perfection: be as perfect as possible when practicing. There is no sense in putting in the time and hard work if you don't go for perfection. Be your own worst and toughest critic and don't sell yourself short.
9) Vary Your Practice Routine: this is especially helpful when practice time is limited. Sometimes it is better to look at your practice sessions on a weekly instead of a daily basis. One day spend the majority of the time on hands, another on independence, another on reading, another on rudiments, etc. and be sure to rest for a few minutes between segments or five minutes per half hour. This will help avoid overuse or strain of your muscles. Be sure and spend some time creating and just playing. Some teachers suggest you do it at the end of your practice session. However, I have found it often works better to do it at the very beginning to get it out of your system. Then you can just focus on what you planned to work on that day.
10) In Regard To Sticks: you should generally use the same size stick to practice with that you play with. But it can be beneficial to spend a few minutes a week with heavier or lighter sticks to give your hand and wrist muscles a change. This can improve strength and reflexes.
11) Study The Traditional Grip: and if you generally play traditional spend some time playing matched. The traditional grip has some definite advantages which include finger dexterity and flexibility of the weak hand. If you generally play matched grip, spend at least some time every day on the traditional grip. The increase in finger dexterity will even help your matched grip playing.
12) Keep Challenging Yourself: never be satisfied. Try to be working on something new at all times - a rudiment, book, rhythm - and once that is accomplished, whether it takes a day, a week or a month, move on to something else new. Strive to constantly improve during each practice session.
These previous tips should be concentrated on only while practicing. Once you are at rehearsals or the gig don't think about them. Concentrate on the music and feeling relaxed and comfortable. If you use these tips diligently every time you practice you will find they will creep into your playing without your realizing it and you will see a vast improvement in your technique and playing in a few short months.
Copyright 1999 Mat Marucci
Pro drummer Mat Marucci offers a valuable article on this subject.
There is a saying regarding practicing that has been attributed to the concert pianist Vladimir Horowitz and paraphrased by many. One version of this saying is: "If I miss one day I know it. If I miss two days my wife knows it. If I miss three days my audience knows it." That is arguably the consummate statement on the importance of regular practice.
The hours we all put into practicing technique are very important to us. We all do it to maintain or improve our playing. However, often much of the time spent behind the drums is not put to the best use.
Time spent practicing brings up the old debate of quality versus quantity. If the musician's focus is right, more can be accomplished in thirty minutes time than two hours of time with the instrument.
Many musicians do not really practice but "play" their instruments. That is to say that they sit down (or stand) with the instrument and play what they know. This can be great for the maintenance or polishing of certain techniques but, with those exceptions, no progress is being made.
The essence of the practice session should be musicality while striving for perfection and improvement. Even while practicing, the musicians should concentrate on playing music!
Perfection, improvement and musicality are the guidelines for a productive practice session.
Perfection: Every technique should be done as perfectly as possible. This includes hand positions, stickings, stick height, wrist movements, touch, etc. Practicing wrong will develop improper technique - and all execution is affected by technique. To strive for perfection is the first step in practicing.
Improvement: Each practice session should create a challenge for the musician to accomplish something never previously done. This could be a new rudiment, piece of music, or exercise. It could also be a new tempo for an old exercise, etc. And the tempo does not necessarily have to be faster - just different. Old exercise books are excellent ways to improve. (Every book should be played at least twice, because it is never mastered the first time through.) But, whatever it is, some new accomplishment should be attempted at every practice session.
Musicality: The purpose of playing any instrument is to play music. And music should
be kept foremost in mind whenever practicing. Even when playing a rudiment or
technical exercise it should be thought of musically and how it can be applied to music. As stated earlier, musicality is the essence of playing an instrument.
The amount of practice time will vary from individual to individual and also from beginner to professional. A beginning drummer might practice thirty minutes to one hour a day and increase that to two hours per day as he progresses after the first year or so of study. If the student continues to be serious and is looking toward or is in a college program as a music major, the practice time should increase to approximately two to four hours per day. As a struggling career minded professional it can increase to four to eight hours per day. As steady engagements, playing situations and other responsibilities increase with a developing career (and with life in general) practice time then starts to decrease again. It might be one to two hours per day again or maybe two to four hours three times a week - whatever the individual needs are and professional and personal schedule allow. But, whatever the situation allows, practice should be continued throughout one's professional life under any conditions.
Modern medicine now has practitioners who specialize in problems peculiar to musicians of all instruments. They are finding that players of the same instrument experience the same or similar problems. (Two of the problems for drummers are carpal tunnel syndrome and lower back pains.) To alleviate and/or prevent some of these problems experts recommend resting for five minutes each half hour instead of continuous practice. The recommendation is twenty-five minutes - practice, five minutes - rest.
I have made a list of some important points that if adhered to should not only make your practice session more productive but also more enjoyable. (We all enjoy what we're doing much more when we can see advancement and improvement.)
1) Watch Your Hand Position: this is the No. 1 problem I have found with drummers and students - from beginner to advanced. Whichever grip you use, when practicing always be sure your hands are in the correct position. It just doesn't make sense to put time in practicing technique and not have your hand positions correct. These positions are used for a reason and your development will be limited if you do not use them correctly. Once your hand position improves you will find your playing will become much cleaner and faster.
2) Sticking: this is the second biggest problem I've come across in teaching. Keep in mind the phrase "one stick up, one stick down" and practice that way. You will always have a stick in position to make a stroke either from the high ("up") position or from the low ("down") position. With concentration on "sticking" your hand techniques will start to flow much more smoothly.
3) Stick Height: this is different from sticking in that it refers to how high you bring the sticks. Whether you work from a full 90 degree position, a 45 degree angle or anything in between the important point is that both sticks return to the same height. Because most of us are not ambidextrous we have a tendency to favor our strong hand and bring that stick to a higher position than the weak hand. This means one stick is traveling a shorter distance to reach the drum whenever a stroke is made. Think about it. It stands to reason that if one stick is traveling eight inches and the other only five inches, the stick farther away has to move faster to reach the drum in the same time interval as the closer stick. This also means the rebounds will be weaker with the closer stick. Are your Single Stroke and Long Rolls uneven? Stick height is probably at least part of the reason - along with the Hand Position and Sticking. Concentrate on these three common problems and you will see a vast improvemet in your technique.
4) Play Off The Drum: unless they have learned this somewhere along the way, most drummers, especially heavy hitters, play down into the drum instead of off it. When making your stroke think up and bring the stick away from the head immediately after striking it. Some teachers describe this as "drawing' or "pulling" the sound out of the drum. The shorter the time the stick is on the drumhead the more resonant and responsive the drum will be. Thus, a cleaner and fuller tone and increased stick speed.
5) Learn And Practice The Rudiments: even if you only spend a minimal amount of time on them do at least something. If you only study one rudiment a week - just one - you will have learned all 26 in exactly six months. You do not have to be a rudimental champ but the knowledge will be a definite plus - and you'll feel good about your accomplishment besides.
6) Work With A Metronome: use it at different speeds including the slowest ones. It won't make your playing stiff but will improve your time and meter. And, if you ever encounter a click track in the recording studio you will be thankful for any time spent with a metronome.
7) Keep The Practicing Habit: We all know that occasionally time is at a premium and a full practice session is impossible. On those days at least do something - even if it's just a 10 or 20 minute keep-in-shape or warm-up routine.
8) Strive For Perfection: be as perfect as possible when practicing. There is no sense in putting in the time and hard work if you don't go for perfection. Be your own worst and toughest critic and don't sell yourself short.
9) Vary Your Practice Routine: this is especially helpful when practice time is limited. Sometimes it is better to look at your practice sessions on a weekly instead of a daily basis. One day spend the majority of the time on hands, another on independence, another on reading, another on rudiments, etc. and be sure to rest for a few minutes between segments or five minutes per half hour. This will help avoid overuse or strain of your muscles. Be sure and spend some time creating and just playing. Some teachers suggest you do it at the end of your practice session. However, I have found it often works better to do it at the very beginning to get it out of your system. Then you can just focus on what you planned to work on that day.
10) In Regard To Sticks: you should generally use the same size stick to practice with that you play with. But it can be beneficial to spend a few minutes a week with heavier or lighter sticks to give your hand and wrist muscles a change. This can improve strength and reflexes.
11) Study The Traditional Grip: and if you generally play traditional spend some time playing matched. The traditional grip has some definite advantages which include finger dexterity and flexibility of the weak hand. If you generally play matched grip, spend at least some time every day on the traditional grip. The increase in finger dexterity will even help your matched grip playing.
12) Keep Challenging Yourself: never be satisfied. Try to be working on something new at all times - a rudiment, book, rhythm - and once that is accomplished, whether it takes a day, a week or a month, move on to something else new. Strive to constantly improve during each practice session.
These previous tips should be concentrated on only while practicing. Once you are at rehearsals or the gig don't think about them. Concentrate on the music and feeling relaxed and comfortable. If you use these tips diligently every time you practice you will find they will creep into your playing without your realizing it and you will see a vast improvement in your technique and playing in a few short months.
Copyright 1999 Mat Marucci
A Primer on Recording Drums at Home
Although I've had numerous opportunities to record in "real" recording studios, I often prefer the laid-back comfort of my own living room. My home setup has neither the carefully constructed walls nor the special acoustic treatments of a well-designed studio; but the no-cost, no-rush feeling of working in my own space and the comfortable amenities of my home (a fridge stocked with more than just cheap cans of beer, windows that let in sunlight, a back porch to sit on) have been compelling arguments to stay at home.
Over the years, my goal has been to make recordings in my home that approach the quality of recordings made in pro studios; and I've since discovered some techniques that can make my modest living room sound more like a big studio. For me, the sound of a "real" studio vs a home setup has more to do with the live sound than it does the cost of equipment: it's the interaction of the instruments with the room and how that interaction is captured on tape. With no other instrument is this more evident than with a drum kit.
A typical home recording of a drum kit sounds exactly like it was recorded at home—in a small room. On the other hand, a drum kit recorded in a pro studio will tend to sound bigger—with the ambience of a large tracking room giving life to the drums.
This recipe is one way that I achieve that bigger drum sound in the confines of my humble home. Let's go through this recipe in steps.
Control the acoustics in your room.
Most rooms in a house are boxes with parallel walls, floors, and ceilings. Parallel surfaces tend to accentuate some frequencies while attenuating others, and corners in which surfaces meet collect and release low end. To capture as smooth of a sound as possible, you want to reduce the detrimental effects of your room's square geometry. You can spend a lot of money on special treatments, or you can use what you've got lying around the house. Let's go the cheaper route and save the money for buying more mics.
Experiment with the position of the drum kit until you find a position in your room that minimizes room resonances.
I would recommend that you start with the kick drum facing a piece of furniture that operates as a bass-trap. Doing this will reduce the nasty lower-mid resonances that small rooms typically exhibit. These resonances contribute to the muddy sound of small rooms—anything you can do to reduce these resonances will make your room sound less like a box.
I like to face the kit into my aforementioned futon "bass-trap."
Play around with different floor surfaces. Don't just settle for what you have.
I used to use a shag rug (the remnants of which are now on the wall) as a drum rug. It was ugly, but it protected my wood floor from scratches and kept the drums from sliding everywhere.
One day, I found a perfectly-sized and not-as-ugly rug for sale at a local supermarket for $12. Unlike the shag rug, this one was tightly woven and quite stiff. It made a huge difference in the sound of the snare drum. The mics picked up much more of the snare's crack.
If you're pining for an even "brighter" floor surface, try a localized treatment. A clipboard placed underneath the snare drum can really liven up the snare.
Start with a good pair of overhead mics.
Think of your overheads as more than just cymbal mics.
While close mics tend to focus on the attack of each drum hit, carefully positioned overheads will pick up more of the "body" of each drum, affording you a fuller sound than what you could achieve with just close mics.
My preference is to use two overhead mics to pick up a stereo image of the whole kit.
As a general rule of thumb, two mics recording the same sound source should be the exact same distance to that sound source when you're trying to achieve a phase-coherent, mono-compatible, stereo spread. Otherwise, you'll end up with phase cancellation of some frequencies. Recalling that the box shape of the typical home studio tends to accentuate some frequencies while attenuating others, any additional phase cancellation will further detriment the sound.
That's why I prefer to set up my overhead mics in a modified X-Y pattern, with the diaphragms of the two mics as close together as possible. This way, everything they pick up will be phase-coherent: all sounds will hit both mics at the same time. Therefore, the pair of mics will not contribute additional peaks and dips to the frequency response of the room.
You can vary the relative amounts of drums vs cymbals by moving the pair of mics up & down or forward & backward, or by pointing the mics closer into the drums or further outward toward the cymbals. I usually start with the overheads about six feet off the ground, directly above the drums.
Because the signal from the overheads will be the foundation of the drum sound, choose your best mics and mic preamps for this task.
Add close mics as necessary.
Once you're happy with the sound of your overheads, you may want to add close mics to spice up some or all of the individual drums.
I'm a big fan of using omni mics on the kick and snare, especially the Earthworks micro-diaphragm condensors. Because omni mics don't exhibit proximity-effect, you can place them right up to a sound source without picking up an unnatural boost of the low-mid frequencies.
Be cognisant of phase-cancellation as you bring in more mics. You may need to flip the phase on some of the individual close mics or move the overheads closer to or away from the drums. If you're mixing with a digital console or using a DAW as your playback engine, you can delay the tracks recorded with the close mics so that the drum-hits picked up by the close mics line up in time with the drum-hits picked up by the overheads.
Don't rely on EQ to define the sound of your room.
EQ'ing multiple mics or even EQ'ing one mic out of a multi-mic setup won't sound as good as getting all your mics to pick up the right sound in the first place. Furthermore, an EQ can't smooth out the sharp peaks and dips of a poor sounding room. Therefore, unless you're using the EQ as an effect, use it sparingly. Focus first on making your room sound good. Then play with mic position to obtain the sound you desire.
Use room mics to add ambience. Place these room mics in another room.
A typical mic setup in a large studio involves setting up room mics far from the drum kit to pick up the studio's natural reverb. Oftentimes, these room mics are faced into walls to pick up less direct sound and more reflected sound. Unfortunately, using this technique at home usually results in a smaller sound, not a bigger sound. You end up accentuating all the anomolies—and therefore the acoustic character—of a small room.
Fortunately, homes tend to have multiple rooms. So it's easy enough to open a door and place your room mics in an adjoining room. I prefer miking my kitchen, with its hard surfaces providing natual reverb and the large appliances providing ample diffusion. I place the room mics near one corner of the kitchen, making sure there isn't direct line of sight through the open doorway between the mics in the kitchen and the drum kit in the living room.
If I need an even bigger sounding space, I'll delay the room mics during mixing by 10-15 ms.
Experiment.
Think of this article as one person's starting point. Then explore your own tangents and break your own boundaries. Try something new. Celebrate serendipity, and revel in the fact that you're not paying big-studio rates to record in your living room.
Here's what I did in my living room. Equipment racks, large tape machines, and tall shelves are pushed into the corners. I found some surplus acoustic foam and placed it on one wall. I attached remnants of a shag rug on the opposite wall and covered the ugly rug with a curtain. A heavy cotton futon pushed against the wall with the largest unbroken span makes a great bass-trap, soaking up unwanted bass resonance.
Be careful not to overtreat your room. If you use too much foam or too many rugs, you'll end up with a room that sounds "dead." Higher frequencies will be absorbed while lower frequencies will run rampant, leaving you with the typical bedroom sound.
DRUM, in Music
in music, percussion instrument, known in various forms and played throughout the world and throughout history. Essentially a drum is a frame over which one or more membranes or skins are stretched. The frame is usually cylindrical or conical, but it comes in many other shapes. It acts as a resonator when the membrane is struck by the hand or by an implement, usually a stick or a whisk. The variety of tone and the volume of sound from a drum depend on the area, tension, and material of the membrane that is struck and, more particularly, on the skill of the player. The rhythmic effects of drum playing can be exceedingly complex, especially the intricate polyrhythmic arrangements of Asian and African cultures. The modern orchestra may have as many as five drums under one player, allowing an impressive range of tones. In Western music the kettledrum is of special importance. A metal bowl with a membrane stretched over the open side, it is the only drum that can be tuned to a definite pitch. It originated in Persia and spread throughout Asia, Africa, and Europe; it was later adapted into orchestral music. The kettledrum was formerly tuned by hand screws placed around the edge; now it can be tuned by a pedal mechanism. The bass drum, especially popular in military bands, is a huge wooden cylinder with a drumhead (membrane) on both ends. The snare drum (sometimes called the side drum) also has a drumhead at either end; across one end are stretched gut strings wound with wire. These strings rattle when the other end of the drum is beaten. The tenor drum is primarily used in military bands and is normally played with small felt sticks. The tambourine, known from Roman times, is a single-headed small drum, usually with jingles attached to the frame; it is shaken and struck by hand.
See R. S. Brindle, Contemporary Percussion (1970); J. Blades, Percussion Instruments and Their History (rev. ed. 1975).
See R. S. Brindle, Contemporary Percussion (1970); J. Blades, Percussion Instruments and Their History (rev. ed. 1975).
3 Steps to Increase Your Level of Drumming
by Dan Brown
There are many ways to increase the quality of your drumming and they can all be summarized into these 3 vital steps.
1. Develop Confidence
Many wanna-be musicians will choose the drums because they are shy and want to remain in the background (that's where I was when I started drumming back in 1976).
The truth is your body may be in the background, but your musical presence will definitely be noticed!
If you are going to be the drummer in a band, then you will be the anchor of the band. The other musicians will be relying on you to provide strong beats that will keep everything together. Everything you do behind your drum set will not only be heard, but felt, simply because you will be the all-important time keeper.
This notion of wanting to be a drummer so you can hide behind a drum set is ridiculous. You're gonna hide from no one! That's why it is imperitive to develop confidence in your drumming, and the first way to do that is to forget about the notion that you are hidden. Your mind set should be to establish your place in the band. Know who you are and why you're there. The rest will then fall into place
2. Love Your Instrument
If any musician really wants to master their instrument they must absolutely love it. What do I mean "love it?" The best way to understand this is to relate loving your drums to loving a person.
Many people think "love" is a feeling, but it's not a feeling. For example; I love my wife, but I don't always like her (I suppose she can probably say the same thing about me).
Love is an action word. It means to adore, care for, learn about, edify, be loyal to, be devoted to, be committed to, support, protect, and promote. When you do these things the feeling of love automatically comes.
So, how can you tell if you really love your drums? You can tell if you love your drums by the priority you put on them. They must have some priority in your life , otherwise your drums are just a little hobby that you will only be mediocre at.
3. Remain Humble
If a drummer really wants to increase his or her level of playing it is critical to remain open minded.
The mind is like a parachute, it only functions when it is open. That's why it is so important to remain humble. Arrogant drummers never grow beyond their current level of drumming because they don't think there is any more they can learn. How foolish! There is always more to learn... and any advanced drummer can learn from an intermediate, or even a beginner!
As you continue to learn you will then be able to teach. When you begin teaching, you will be amazed at the additional things you will learn (if you are currently teaching you will understand).
It's critical to continue to learn and grow if you want to increase your level of drumming, and remaining humble is the only avenue through which you can do this. As with anything else, you must absolutely be confident in what you're doing and knowledge can make you confident.
Please don't mistake confidence with arrogance. Confidence is what makes a good drummer a great drummer. Arrogance is what makes a good drummer a lonely drummer! I don't know about you, but I certainly don't want to play music with some cocky jerk who thinks he or she is better than everyone else.
Conclusion
When you develop confidence in your purpose as a drummer, learn to love your drums by giving them some priority in your life, altogether with remaining humble, your level of drumming will increase considerably.
There are many ways to increase the quality of your drumming and they can all be summarized into these 3 vital steps.
1. Develop Confidence
Many wanna-be musicians will choose the drums because they are shy and want to remain in the background (that's where I was when I started drumming back in 1976).
The truth is your body may be in the background, but your musical presence will definitely be noticed!
If you are going to be the drummer in a band, then you will be the anchor of the band. The other musicians will be relying on you to provide strong beats that will keep everything together. Everything you do behind your drum set will not only be heard, but felt, simply because you will be the all-important time keeper.
This notion of wanting to be a drummer so you can hide behind a drum set is ridiculous. You're gonna hide from no one! That's why it is imperitive to develop confidence in your drumming, and the first way to do that is to forget about the notion that you are hidden. Your mind set should be to establish your place in the band. Know who you are and why you're there. The rest will then fall into place
2. Love Your Instrument
If any musician really wants to master their instrument they must absolutely love it. What do I mean "love it?" The best way to understand this is to relate loving your drums to loving a person.
Many people think "love" is a feeling, but it's not a feeling. For example; I love my wife, but I don't always like her (I suppose she can probably say the same thing about me).
Love is an action word. It means to adore, care for, learn about, edify, be loyal to, be devoted to, be committed to, support, protect, and promote. When you do these things the feeling of love automatically comes.
So, how can you tell if you really love your drums? You can tell if you love your drums by the priority you put on them. They must have some priority in your life , otherwise your drums are just a little hobby that you will only be mediocre at.
3. Remain Humble
If a drummer really wants to increase his or her level of playing it is critical to remain open minded.
The mind is like a parachute, it only functions when it is open. That's why it is so important to remain humble. Arrogant drummers never grow beyond their current level of drumming because they don't think there is any more they can learn. How foolish! There is always more to learn... and any advanced drummer can learn from an intermediate, or even a beginner!
As you continue to learn you will then be able to teach. When you begin teaching, you will be amazed at the additional things you will learn (if you are currently teaching you will understand).
It's critical to continue to learn and grow if you want to increase your level of drumming, and remaining humble is the only avenue through which you can do this. As with anything else, you must absolutely be confident in what you're doing and knowledge can make you confident.
Please don't mistake confidence with arrogance. Confidence is what makes a good drummer a great drummer. Arrogance is what makes a good drummer a lonely drummer! I don't know about you, but I certainly don't want to play music with some cocky jerk who thinks he or she is better than everyone else.
Conclusion
When you develop confidence in your purpose as a drummer, learn to love your drums by giving them some priority in your life, altogether with remaining humble, your level of drumming will increase considerably.
The wonder of the piano
by Sica Delenius
Piano has become an integral part of music. Many musical
notes do not seem possible without it. And many notes would
not sound as good as they can do on a piano. Everyone must
have listened with relish to Beethoven's fifth, Gershwin's
Rhapsody, rock and roll of little Richard and Jerry Lee
Lewis. The piano can be played solo or with other
instruments. It would hold its own nonetheless.
In fact it is the change in volume that was the last piano
innovation to be perfected, and the hardest for piano
builders. Experts aren't in complete agreement, but the
first modern-style piano was probably that built by the
Italian Bartolomeo Cristofori in 1709. It was at the time
described as a harpsichord with both soft and loud!
The difference between the harpsichords that came before and
the piano (or pianoforte) was the way the strings were
sounded. Inside each piano the strings are tightened into
tune - a grand piano looks a little like a harp on its side
- and somehow or other these strings need to be plucked to
make music. All that early harpsichords did was to use a
mechanism to pluck the string instead of the players own
fingers. This meant that you touched a keyboard to make the
sounds but that you had no control over the volume - the
string was plucked at the same volume however you hit the
keys.
The modern style piano uses a different idea, and instead of
plucking the string with by passing a plectrum by it, modern
pianos use hammers to bang the string. This sounds pretty
unsubtle, but in fact it is what really released the
potential of the instrument by allowing the weight of your
touch on the keyboard to affect the sound of the note.
Gentle stroking of the keys will give you soft music,
whereas hammering away can give you ear-drum shattering
noise!
Do you want to use this article on your website? ukpianos.co.uk gives you permission to copy this article and use it, providing you include this author's biog box.
Not everyone was initially convinced by the new instrument,
and even JS Bach, who went on to write the beautifully
nuanced Goldberg Variations for the piano, didn't like the
instrument at first - however he became conviced and he gave
the instrument his official approval in 1747. But by the
time Mozart was born in 1756 or Beethoven in 1770, the piano
had become an accepted favorite.
It is the piano's ability to shine as a solo instrument, so
wonderfully exploited by the great classical composers, that
has made it such a popular instrument. It is also what has
ensured that it has found a home in every kind of music
since. Jazz, blues, gospel, swing, rock all feature the
piano in a starring role. In many ways, it's the perfect
instrument.
Piano has become an integral part of music. Many musical
notes do not seem possible without it. And many notes would
not sound as good as they can do on a piano. Everyone must
have listened with relish to Beethoven's fifth, Gershwin's
Rhapsody, rock and roll of little Richard and Jerry Lee
Lewis. The piano can be played solo or with other
instruments. It would hold its own nonetheless.
In fact it is the change in volume that was the last piano
innovation to be perfected, and the hardest for piano
builders. Experts aren't in complete agreement, but the
first modern-style piano was probably that built by the
Italian Bartolomeo Cristofori in 1709. It was at the time
described as a harpsichord with both soft and loud!
The difference between the harpsichords that came before and
the piano (or pianoforte) was the way the strings were
sounded. Inside each piano the strings are tightened into
tune - a grand piano looks a little like a harp on its side
- and somehow or other these strings need to be plucked to
make music. All that early harpsichords did was to use a
mechanism to pluck the string instead of the players own
fingers. This meant that you touched a keyboard to make the
sounds but that you had no control over the volume - the
string was plucked at the same volume however you hit the
keys.
The modern style piano uses a different idea, and instead of
plucking the string with by passing a plectrum by it, modern
pianos use hammers to bang the string. This sounds pretty
unsubtle, but in fact it is what really released the
potential of the instrument by allowing the weight of your
touch on the keyboard to affect the sound of the note.
Gentle stroking of the keys will give you soft music,
whereas hammering away can give you ear-drum shattering
noise!
Do you want to use this article on your website? ukpianos.co.uk gives you permission to copy this article and use it, providing you include this author's biog box.
Not everyone was initially convinced by the new instrument,
and even JS Bach, who went on to write the beautifully
nuanced Goldberg Variations for the piano, didn't like the
instrument at first - however he became conviced and he gave
the instrument his official approval in 1747. But by the
time Mozart was born in 1756 or Beethoven in 1770, the piano
had become an accepted favorite.
It is the piano's ability to shine as a solo instrument, so
wonderfully exploited by the great classical composers, that
has made it such a popular instrument. It is also what has
ensured that it has found a home in every kind of music
since. Jazz, blues, gospel, swing, rock all feature the
piano in a starring role. In many ways, it's the perfect
instrument.
Play Piano - Preparing to Practice
by Ron Worthy
When the practicing "blahs" strike, you just need an attitude adjustment. You don't have to sweat blood to practice well. You don't even have to think of it as work, or duty, or even something that you ought to do.
Stop a minute and think about it. You like music, and you want to play some special piece that really means something to you. You want it to sound through you - right through your fingertips.
Okay? Well, you practice it to fulfill that desire, not to frustrate it.
Pause here and ask yourself some questions:
What if you could look at a piece of music for the first time, and play it correctly straight off, just as fine as you please?
How would you feel about practicing then?
Or, what if you were practicing for the Olympic swim meet next year, and felt deep down that you had a chance? How would you feel then about the training? Would you plunge into it each morning?
What if you were interrupted at a good point in yesterday's practicing? What if you had just about broken through a tough spot when you had to stop? Would you want to get back to it today as soon as possible?
You answer those questions, honestly, for yourself. There are ways to say "YES!" every day.
But, first, you've got to stop blaming yourself. You don't have to be perfect every time. You don't have to be the best player, today. And you don't have to listen to what other people say about your playing - people who are only half listening, and don't care the way you do.
Put all that out of your mind. What matters is your desire to play as well as possible.
Just start with playing - one note after another, and keep going. As the Chinese say, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first, step." And, if the very first step leads to the first slip, be glad for it. You can't, repeat, cannot learn without mistakes!
The best value for money online course I have seen so far is the Rocket Piano by Ashley Southam. Read more about it here
Do you want to use this article on your website? ukpianos.co.uk gives you permission to copy this article and use it, providing you include this author's biog box.
Now, start to think more personally about your instrument.
The piano, like the guitar, is a "touchy" instrument. Touch it, and you both produce and color its tones, like a potter molding clay. Think of the keys, all gleaming white, as the "skin" of the piano; you can either please them or hurt them. Stroke them, and the sound will come out mellow and purring. Poke them, and the sound will either "bark" sharply or woodenly "thud."
Stop thinking of yourself as playing "on" or "at" the piano. Rather, think of the instrument as an extension of your own body. When an artificial leg is fitted to an amputee, he is then taught to walk with it. Gradually, it feels more natural - more like his own leg walking. The French call the keys "les touches," or "touch-points" - as if the keys, not you, were doing the feeling.
Every musician wants to personalize this instrument. Take a look at the vocalist who hugs his guitar, or without a guitar, woos his microphone, or, without a microphone, simply woos the audience?
Every musician seeks to make his instrument an extension of his own body, the tool he or she needs to put across the strong feelings he as for the music.
Nadia Boulanger, one of the greatest teachers, put it best: "Don't speak to me of talent; speak to me of desire."
Go to the piano or keyboard not to reproduce a piece, but to experiment with your best way to bring out what is there. There is no one right way to play a piece - no matter how loudly some people protest that there is.
Artists in fact, vary greatly, and audiences return again and again to hear the same piece, as played by pianist X or pianist Y. You simply cannot play a piece twice the same way. Try it!
Here's how to practice an exercise or a song
Six quietly, upright and relaxed Hear the music in your head: hear it better than life. Sense its movement and pulse rolling through you, turning and adjusting your own pulse, you are the prime "instrument" of this music - sitting there alert, tuned by silence, vibrating to is rhythm, lending it your own life entirely.
As you feel the music filling you, heart and soul, you will know that it is getting ready to be born.
When it has stirred you, lift your hands to the keyboard. This is the reason you wanted to play in the first place: to bring alive what has already moved you. And, suddenly, by centering your focus, you've turned practicing from a duty into an attraction.
When the practicing "blahs" strike, you just need an attitude adjustment. You don't have to sweat blood to practice well. You don't even have to think of it as work, or duty, or even something that you ought to do.
Stop a minute and think about it. You like music, and you want to play some special piece that really means something to you. You want it to sound through you - right through your fingertips.
Okay? Well, you practice it to fulfill that desire, not to frustrate it.
Pause here and ask yourself some questions:
What if you could look at a piece of music for the first time, and play it correctly straight off, just as fine as you please?
How would you feel about practicing then?
Or, what if you were practicing for the Olympic swim meet next year, and felt deep down that you had a chance? How would you feel then about the training? Would you plunge into it each morning?
What if you were interrupted at a good point in yesterday's practicing? What if you had just about broken through a tough spot when you had to stop? Would you want to get back to it today as soon as possible?
You answer those questions, honestly, for yourself. There are ways to say "YES!" every day.
But, first, you've got to stop blaming yourself. You don't have to be perfect every time. You don't have to be the best player, today. And you don't have to listen to what other people say about your playing - people who are only half listening, and don't care the way you do.
Put all that out of your mind. What matters is your desire to play as well as possible.
Just start with playing - one note after another, and keep going. As the Chinese say, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first, step." And, if the very first step leads to the first slip, be glad for it. You can't, repeat, cannot learn without mistakes!
The best value for money online course I have seen so far is the Rocket Piano by Ashley Southam. Read more about it here
Do you want to use this article on your website? ukpianos.co.uk gives you permission to copy this article and use it, providing you include this author's biog box.
Now, start to think more personally about your instrument.
The piano, like the guitar, is a "touchy" instrument. Touch it, and you both produce and color its tones, like a potter molding clay. Think of the keys, all gleaming white, as the "skin" of the piano; you can either please them or hurt them. Stroke them, and the sound will come out mellow and purring. Poke them, and the sound will either "bark" sharply or woodenly "thud."
Stop thinking of yourself as playing "on" or "at" the piano. Rather, think of the instrument as an extension of your own body. When an artificial leg is fitted to an amputee, he is then taught to walk with it. Gradually, it feels more natural - more like his own leg walking. The French call the keys "les touches," or "touch-points" - as if the keys, not you, were doing the feeling.
Every musician wants to personalize this instrument. Take a look at the vocalist who hugs his guitar, or without a guitar, woos his microphone, or, without a microphone, simply woos the audience?
Every musician seeks to make his instrument an extension of his own body, the tool he or she needs to put across the strong feelings he as for the music.
Nadia Boulanger, one of the greatest teachers, put it best: "Don't speak to me of talent; speak to me of desire."
Go to the piano or keyboard not to reproduce a piece, but to experiment with your best way to bring out what is there. There is no one right way to play a piece - no matter how loudly some people protest that there is.
Artists in fact, vary greatly, and audiences return again and again to hear the same piece, as played by pianist X or pianist Y. You simply cannot play a piece twice the same way. Try it!
Here's how to practice an exercise or a song
Six quietly, upright and relaxed Hear the music in your head: hear it better than life. Sense its movement and pulse rolling through you, turning and adjusting your own pulse, you are the prime "instrument" of this music - sitting there alert, tuned by silence, vibrating to is rhythm, lending it your own life entirely.
As you feel the music filling you, heart and soul, you will know that it is getting ready to be born.
When it has stirred you, lift your hands to the keyboard. This is the reason you wanted to play in the first place: to bring alive what has already moved you. And, suddenly, by centering your focus, you've turned practicing from a duty into an attraction.
Piano Lesson: Do You Really Want To Learn These Things?
by Peter Edvinsson
Practice is essential to become a good piano player. As you play the piano and try to progress towards becoming a piano giant it is important to be aware of some traps that will prevent you from reaching your goal.
It is a joyful experience to grow as a pianist and musician if you practice in a sensible way using the experience from a teacher or other sources like books and piano instructional DVD's and more.
The feeling that you are approaching your goals gives satisfaction and a belief in yourself.
What traps am I talking about then?
Learning processes can take you towards your goals but as you practice you might unconciously learn things that are limiting your progress.
I don't think that you want to learn things that will limit your progress and if you will be aware of these thing I know that you will avoid them. Here are some traps:
1. Uncomfortable feelings. There can be reasons for you not being at ease as you practice on your piano like stress or negative feelings regarding your ability to progress.
Maybe you are preparing for a performance, a piano lesson or something else and you feel less prepared than you want or other negative thoughts are disturbing you.
Having these feelings as you play on your piano is not so very good. Why?
These negative feelings tend to be evoked as you play the same piece of music at other occasions. I guess this is not what you want.
It can lead to an aversion towards a certain piece of music for the rest of your life or that you quit playing altogether because of uncomfortable feelings as you play.
2. Muscle tensions. Well, you might play in a very relaxed way but many pianists tend to tense too much as a result of maybe playing faster and on a level above their technical skills.
This is very common among young kids trying to play like their musical heroes while actually being on another level of proficiency.
The important aspect of this is that the actual tension level in your hands and in your body when you practice a specific piano piece tends to be at the same level when you play the same piece of music at a performance.
If you have practiced a piano piece with a high tension level you will most probably find it hard to perform the same composition in a relaxed manner.
3. Making mistakes. Can your practicing lead you away from learning a piece of music? You probably want to become a better piano player by practicing but if you play too fast when learning new passages it is likely that you will make a lot of mistakes.
When learning a passage of music these mistakes will be part of the learning process. The more mistakes you make the harder it will be to play the passage right.
To put it another way, all mistakes accumulate and becomes a disturbance when you try to play the passage right. Instead it will become easier and easier to play the music wrong.
But, don't let this information depress you. This information can be good news if you use it to your advantage!
Here are some tips:
1. Comfortable feelings. Try to practice in an atmosphere of peace and joy. How? By not procrastinating working on you piano lesson homework and by having a positive attitude.
2. Relax. A piano session with practicing and memorizing piano pieces can also be an occasion when you practice relaxation. As you play, try to pay attention to your hands, fingers and the rest of your body using as little force in your playing as possible. This will benefit both your mental and physical health!
3. Make no mistake. At least, not too many. If you practice new piano pieces slowly, with concentration and with correct posture you will be rewarded with learning your homework faster and also feel much better.
Practice is essential to become a good piano player. As you play the piano and try to progress towards becoming a piano giant it is important to be aware of some traps that will prevent you from reaching your goal.
It is a joyful experience to grow as a pianist and musician if you practice in a sensible way using the experience from a teacher or other sources like books and piano instructional DVD's and more.
The feeling that you are approaching your goals gives satisfaction and a belief in yourself.
What traps am I talking about then?
Learning processes can take you towards your goals but as you practice you might unconciously learn things that are limiting your progress.
I don't think that you want to learn things that will limit your progress and if you will be aware of these thing I know that you will avoid them. Here are some traps:
1. Uncomfortable feelings. There can be reasons for you not being at ease as you practice on your piano like stress or negative feelings regarding your ability to progress.
Maybe you are preparing for a performance, a piano lesson or something else and you feel less prepared than you want or other negative thoughts are disturbing you.
Having these feelings as you play on your piano is not so very good. Why?
These negative feelings tend to be evoked as you play the same piece of music at other occasions. I guess this is not what you want.
It can lead to an aversion towards a certain piece of music for the rest of your life or that you quit playing altogether because of uncomfortable feelings as you play.
2. Muscle tensions. Well, you might play in a very relaxed way but many pianists tend to tense too much as a result of maybe playing faster and on a level above their technical skills.
This is very common among young kids trying to play like their musical heroes while actually being on another level of proficiency.
The important aspect of this is that the actual tension level in your hands and in your body when you practice a specific piano piece tends to be at the same level when you play the same piece of music at a performance.
If you have practiced a piano piece with a high tension level you will most probably find it hard to perform the same composition in a relaxed manner.
3. Making mistakes. Can your practicing lead you away from learning a piece of music? You probably want to become a better piano player by practicing but if you play too fast when learning new passages it is likely that you will make a lot of mistakes.
When learning a passage of music these mistakes will be part of the learning process. The more mistakes you make the harder it will be to play the passage right.
To put it another way, all mistakes accumulate and becomes a disturbance when you try to play the passage right. Instead it will become easier and easier to play the music wrong.
But, don't let this information depress you. This information can be good news if you use it to your advantage!
Here are some tips:
1. Comfortable feelings. Try to practice in an atmosphere of peace and joy. How? By not procrastinating working on you piano lesson homework and by having a positive attitude.
2. Relax. A piano session with practicing and memorizing piano pieces can also be an occasion when you practice relaxation. As you play, try to pay attention to your hands, fingers and the rest of your body using as little force in your playing as possible. This will benefit both your mental and physical health!
3. Make no mistake. At least, not too many. If you practice new piano pieces slowly, with concentration and with correct posture you will be rewarded with learning your homework faster and also feel much better.
Get G-R-E-A-T Piano Playing Results with this Simple Formula
by Ed Mascari
How many times have you heard someone play the piano and said, "She is really great!"? What would make your piano playing great? ? Playing effortlessly without reading the music? ? Better rhythm? ? Tighter technique and more speed? Here's the good news... It doesn't matter what area needs improvement. There is a simple formula that is guaranteed to help you move your piano playing from good to great. The solution to your piano playing success is contained in the letters G-R-E-A-T. G Set a Goal Start by making a list of all the songs and pieces that you want to learn. Then pick the one that you want to learn first. R Be Realistic Be sure that the piece that you choose is challenging, but still at a level of difficulty that fits with your playing experience. E Enjoy yourself Since you will be spending a lot of time and energy to learn and master your selection, make sure that you really like playing and listening to the piece. A Take Action Make a commitment to take action on achieving your goal by practicing your special song every day. T Be Time Specific When will you achieve your goal? Set a specific date and mark it on your calendar. Then claim your success twice a day with positive affirmations like: "I play (insert song title) beautifully and expressively with confidence and enthusiasm by (insert date)." Action Exercises Here are three things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action. First, make a list of all the songs that you want to learn. Pick the piece that stands out as the best one for helping you achieve success. Second, listen to recordings of your selected piece by different performers. You'll be surprised to hear the variety of ways a song can be played, and this will inspire you to work towards your goal. Third, set your target date and take action right away by practicing your special piece every day. Once you hear the difference in your piano playing, you'll continue the process by learning another song and then another. Start using the G-R-E-A-T formula today and you'll be amazed at how quickly your piano playing goes from good to GREAT!
How many times have you heard someone play the piano and said, "She is really great!"? What would make your piano playing great? ? Playing effortlessly without reading the music? ? Better rhythm? ? Tighter technique and more speed? Here's the good news... It doesn't matter what area needs improvement. There is a simple formula that is guaranteed to help you move your piano playing from good to great. The solution to your piano playing success is contained in the letters G-R-E-A-T. G Set a Goal Start by making a list of all the songs and pieces that you want to learn. Then pick the one that you want to learn first. R Be Realistic Be sure that the piece that you choose is challenging, but still at a level of difficulty that fits with your playing experience. E Enjoy yourself Since you will be spending a lot of time and energy to learn and master your selection, make sure that you really like playing and listening to the piece. A Take Action Make a commitment to take action on achieving your goal by practicing your special song every day. T Be Time Specific When will you achieve your goal? Set a specific date and mark it on your calendar. Then claim your success twice a day with positive affirmations like: "I play (insert song title) beautifully and expressively with confidence and enthusiasm by (insert date)." Action Exercises Here are three things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action. First, make a list of all the songs that you want to learn. Pick the piece that stands out as the best one for helping you achieve success. Second, listen to recordings of your selected piece by different performers. You'll be surprised to hear the variety of ways a song can be played, and this will inspire you to work towards your goal. Third, set your target date and take action right away by practicing your special piece every day. Once you hear the difference in your piano playing, you'll continue the process by learning another song and then another. Start using the G-R-E-A-T formula today and you'll be amazed at how quickly your piano playing goes from good to GREAT!
Learn to play piano by ear and have loads of fun doing it
by Travis Westin
Do you ever wish you could listen to a song on the radio and be able to instantly play it on the piano? Maybe you want to do it to impress your friends or maybe you want to learn piano for personal satisfication. But most important of all, learning should be a fun and fullfilling process. No doubt, the best approach to learning piano is through a private tutor but they are also the most expensive. $30 dollars plus for a lesson is too much for casual music lovers who are only interested in pursuing piano as a hobby. However, there are tons of alternatives that you can use to teach yourself effectively. In the case of this article, to learn to play piano by ear.
If you have ever had any formal lessons, you would know the first thing that your piano tutor will teach you is note reading. This is by far the most boring way to start an amateur off in the world of piano. Don't get me wrong, note reading is important but that can be done on your own time with minimal guidance. Not to mention having to pay $30 to $50 dollars a pop. Imagine having to sit through months of these painstakingly boring sessions before you even start on something that sound like a song. As I have mentioned earlier, learning piano should be fun and there are software games on the market to do just that.
What Im talking about here is software learning kits that are avaliable all over the internet. There are tons of well made courses out there. The one that stood out for me is Rocket Piano. This kit includes all the standard instructions for beginners and advanced players, including audio and video files. But what makes Rocket Piano special is the bonus software games that come with the package. "Jayde Musica" teaches you how to read music and "Perfect your pitch" helps you learn to play piano by ear using chords rather than single notes. You will start your learning on the right foot while having some fun doing it.
Although software learning kits like Rocket Piano can potentially save you hundreds and thousands of dollars in private tutor fees, it is not for everyone. I would not recommend this kind of learning for younger children unless there is someone to guide them through what they are learning. It would also not be a good idea if you are not motivated enough to learn piano without a push. However, if you are willing to sit yourself down during your spare time to go through the step-by-step instructions and play the rather addicting music games, this learning software will be great for you. With a little effort and the proper instructions, it is not hard to learn to play piano by ear!
Do you ever wish you could listen to a song on the radio and be able to instantly play it on the piano? Maybe you want to do it to impress your friends or maybe you want to learn piano for personal satisfication. But most important of all, learning should be a fun and fullfilling process. No doubt, the best approach to learning piano is through a private tutor but they are also the most expensive. $30 dollars plus for a lesson is too much for casual music lovers who are only interested in pursuing piano as a hobby. However, there are tons of alternatives that you can use to teach yourself effectively. In the case of this article, to learn to play piano by ear.
If you have ever had any formal lessons, you would know the first thing that your piano tutor will teach you is note reading. This is by far the most boring way to start an amateur off in the world of piano. Don't get me wrong, note reading is important but that can be done on your own time with minimal guidance. Not to mention having to pay $30 to $50 dollars a pop. Imagine having to sit through months of these painstakingly boring sessions before you even start on something that sound like a song. As I have mentioned earlier, learning piano should be fun and there are software games on the market to do just that.
What Im talking about here is software learning kits that are avaliable all over the internet. There are tons of well made courses out there. The one that stood out for me is Rocket Piano. This kit includes all the standard instructions for beginners and advanced players, including audio and video files. But what makes Rocket Piano special is the bonus software games that come with the package. "Jayde Musica" teaches you how to read music and "Perfect your pitch" helps you learn to play piano by ear using chords rather than single notes. You will start your learning on the right foot while having some fun doing it.
Although software learning kits like Rocket Piano can potentially save you hundreds and thousands of dollars in private tutor fees, it is not for everyone. I would not recommend this kind of learning for younger children unless there is someone to guide them through what they are learning. It would also not be a good idea if you are not motivated enough to learn piano without a push. However, if you are willing to sit yourself down during your spare time to go through the step-by-step instructions and play the rather addicting music games, this learning software will be great for you. With a little effort and the proper instructions, it is not hard to learn to play piano by ear!
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