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Many people consider the bass guitar to be the “soul instrument” of music. It gives a song life, and if you can learn to play, you can impress your family and friends! So don’t waste any time, and learn to play bass guitar.
Many people are more into electric and acoustic guitars because they’re more pleasing to the ears, but if you want to feel some real “beat” inside your chest, go with a bass guitar! You need to learn a song’s foundation if you truly want to play. If the foundation is thrown off, you won’t be able to master anything.

As compared to other guitars, bass guitars have less and thicker strings. Advanced players say that the bass is easy to play, but it takes a lot of talent and work to master it. Beginner bass guitar lessons are usually easy enough to learn, but you will have to put in a lot of hard work and dedication if you want to master it. Aside from the string differences, bass guitars also have larger bodies. Most of them are made from maple wood and rose, and only contain four strings.

Another thing you need to understand is that the bass guitar isn’t oriented. Other guitars really are chord oriented, but not the bass. If you play chords using a bass guitar, it can dominate over other guitars. You need to play constantly so that you can feel the power. Once you’ve learned how to play a bass guitar, you’ll find that it’s a lot easier to learn than acoustic or electric guitars.

Here are some helpful hints that you can go by when learning how to play bass:

1.    Always be aware of the beat coming from the music you’re playing. Feel it, even. You see, bass guitars are a lot like drums, only in guitar form. They can give any song timing and depth, so make sure you feel it all in your chest.

2.    As with other guitars, bass guitars need to be tuned. But, the tones are obviously deeper because the strings are fewer and thicker. Thus, you need to learn how to hit single notes—and often—as this is essential when learning how to play.

3.    Proper finger placement is extremely important. A note’s wholeness is determined on how your fingers are placed on the fret board. For a holistic approach, you should practice playing the guitar also.

4.    All your fingers on both hands should be strong. You should have strength in order to learn how to play the bass guitar.

When kept in mind, these tips will help you a great deal with your lessons. Whether you take private lessons or use a guide book or DVD course, these tips can be handy.

Buy yourself a bass guitar now and get started with playing the instrument. Remember, if you can play the right way, this instrument’s sound will give any song a lot of depth and even soul. This will make things easier if you ever want to learn how to play electric guitar or acoustic.

Start your guitar lessons right now and discover everything that the bass can do and what it has to offer!

Copyright Liam Gibson (Stage Guitarist)

The acoustic guitar is the most traditional type of guitar. Indeed, its brother, the electric guitar, wasn’t produced until the 1930’s. The acoustic, as we know it today, has been around since 1779! Close relatives, such as the lute, have been in existence for several centuries. If you wish to know how to play an acoustic guitar, you will be in great company.

The acoustic guitar is the most widely played guitar. It’s been used in unplugged performances and sessions for decades. It does not produce a great deal of sound like that of an electric guitar, because it isn’t amplified. In the correct hands, an acoustic guitar can be a very powerful and emotion invoking instrument, indeed.

Learning to play isn’t hard at all. First, you need to choose a good acoustic guitar that you’ll learn how to play with. It needs to be the right weight and size for you. You needn’t try to use someone else’s when you learn to play acoustic guitar, either. The size and weight might not be right for you, after all.

Acoustic guitars are pretty easy to obtain. You can buy one brand new and pretty much any music store, both online and off. You can also obtain a used one as well. Again, just make sure it’s the right size for you. Once you’ve got your guitar, you are ready to begin. There are many different ways in which you can learn. You just need to choose the method that’s most convenient for you.

The most common ways to learn acoustic guitar are as follows:

Take lessons. This is obviously the most traditional way to learn. You can pay a qualified expert to teach you how to play. The advantage to this is that you have an individual who can work with you one-on-one on a regular basis. They can keep you motivated, and make sure that you are using proper techniques. If you have trouble, they will help you.

This method also has its disadvantages. For instance, private lessons can be rather expensive. You will have to take them every week and you have to pay every week. These costs can add up over time. You also have to fit the lessons around your busy life. You may even have to drive to the lessons!

Online . Thanks to modern advancements in technology, you can take online acoustic guitar lessons. There are some free lessons available on the internet and some paid ones. You can waste a lot of time and effort in looking for good free lessons. It is best just to find a good, quality lesson and pay the one-time fee rather than waste your time.

The advantages are obvious. You can pay just a one-time fee, and you’ll have all the information and lessons you’ll need. You don’t even have to leave your house! You can take the lessons at the most convenient times. Even though it’s not one-on-one instruction, it is pretty close to being so.

If you learn how to play acoustic guitar from a good source, you will progress well. You can learn to play without any difficulties if you begin with the right steps. Hopefully, this article will help you make those correct steps.

Copyright Liam Gibson (Master Guitarist)

The acoustic guitar has a very unique sound and quality to it, but I haven’t found anything that compares to the sound of an electric guitar.

Learning Electric Guitar

It doesn’t matter how old you are, you are never to old to learn to play the electric guitar. Learning to play is actually a lot easier to do than many think.

One thing though is that you have to commit yourself 100%. You also have to be excited to learn and dedicated to the electric guitar. If you don’t want to take the time to play everyday than the electric guitar isn’t for you.

Playing this instrument takes a lot of time and patience. You have to make daily goals for yourself and also weekly plans in order to really master this instrument. If you are able to set these up then you will definitely be able to learn how to play an electric guitar.

There are three steps that you need to learn:

1.    You need to find an electric guitar that you like and are comfortable with.
2.    You need to have a quiet place to concentrate and practice.
3.    You need to either get an instructor to help you or get online electric guitar lessons.
4.    Practice, practice, practice.

The first two steps really should go without saying. Obviously, you need a guitar in order to play and you also need to have a place to play it. The third step is really something that will help you with the fundamentals and making sure you are getting the correct hand positioning. The fourth step however is the most important. Without this you will never learn to play the electric guitar.

There are many different methods to learning electric guitar. You always have the option of choosing a private instructor, or there are books and videos you can buy, or you can even get online electric guitar lessons. You need to choose the one that you are most comfortable with, just beware some of them are more costly then they need to be.

Many choose to go with an instructor. While not a bad choice it can get to be quite expensive, especially if you are a left handed player. They tend to charge extra fees for that. There’s also a lot more work involved with private instruction, plus you have to consider the extra time you will spend traveling back and forth. If this is what you are most comfortable with though then by all means go with this method.

If you don’t want to go that route though don’t worry there are other options for you. To be quite honest you have everything you need to get started with lessons right at home. All you have to do is go on the Internet. Many musicians learn on their own with the help of online resources. They can provide you with just as much information as an instructor can and you don’t have to leave your house to get it.

Many online resources offer information on:

How the electric guitar works
How to tune it
Electric guitar lessons
Different techniques and tricks
And they even have songs that you can play.

There is one website in particular that is a great resource and that is Learn & Master Guitar. This provides you with a DVD/CD and book set with all the information you will need. This method is a lot cheaper than going to an instructor.

No matter what method you choose to use in order to learn how to play the electric guitar, there will be some same information. These tips are very handy and key in your ability to successfully play the electric guitar

1.    Make sure you consistently and evenly strum.
2.    Rest your left thumb on the bottom of the neck, not the top of it.
3.    Start out by working on the rhythm and sound until you are familiar with each strings sound.
4.    Always keep your fingers close to each other, but not on the fret bar.
5.    Make sure that you press firmly on the string when playing either a note or chord.

Playing the electric guitar really isn’t that hard as long as you take the time to practice. Just remember that you must remain committed and dedicated to learning how to play if you truly want to learn electric guitar.

Copyright Liam Gibson (Guitar God)

Have you been auditioning for lots of bands and not getting the gig? Musicians are very critical of the other musicians they play with, even though they will probably not be brutally honest about what they see and hear. We don’t want to hurt your feelings so we say something nice and then don’t call you again. I have auditioned lots of musicians who never got a call back.  Here are some the most important aspects of an audition – mistakes musicians have made when auditioning for one of my bands:

1)  Skill – can you keep up – learn to play the drums

I have auditioned many guys thought they could play but couldn’t keep proper time or didn’t know what chord changes were going on, got lost in every song – just couldn’t keep up musically.

2)  Listening – are you paying attention?

I have played with a few really skilled musicians who paid absolutely no attention to what was going on around them. It was like they had spent years practicing by themselves in their bedroom. They could play amazing things but what they played made no sense in the context of the band.  The notes you play should complement what everybody else is doing and the song should work as a whole.

3)  Personality – are you a nice person?

This is a big deal – I have played some shows with great players who live their life a sentence or two from a punch in the face.  Remember when you were a kid and folks told you “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”  I have met many great musicians who desperately need to revisit that concept. They were so negative that it was really hard to be in the same room with them for very long.

learn to play the drums

Many talented pianists are stifled by the cost of learning to play. You can learn to play the piano, over time, with practice, but you may not want to spend a small fortune to do so. The good news is that there are other options. You can learn to play, and save money in the process.

Saving Money While You Learn The Piano

If you have been discouraged by the cost of a private piano instructor, it’s time to take a look at your alternatives. Professional instructors can be very effective, but it is possible to learn without them. Advancements in technology have proven that nothing is impossible. This is especially true of learning new things.

The most traditional method of learning to play the piano is, of course, a private instructor. Piano instructors have been in existence since the invention of the piano. The biggest downfall of this method is the expense. Instructors usually charge per hour or per session, though some charge per week or month. If your instructor is a close friend or relative, you can probably work out a discount, or even learn for free. Unfortunately, most of us do not have this luxury, so we have to pay full price.

If you have an instructor, they will guide you through your lessons, show you how to correct your mistakes, and teach you a great deal. However, if you prefer to learn on your own, this will probably make you nervous, and destroy your concentration. This is another reason you should know every option that you have.

So, what are those options? First, you can find online piano lessons. You can learn to play the piano online using software that includes video piano lessons. The cost involved with learning piano online is usually a fraction of the cost of private instruction, and you can learn on your own time, and in your own home. Since most people are busy throughout the day, this is an excellent option. You can learn at night, on weekends, or whenever you have time.

For an even less expensive alternative, you can use a piano guide book. This is a bit more difficult, because you will not have the benefit of video or animation. It is, however, your least expensive option. As a matter of fact, guide books can occasionally be found for less than $10.

One more option that you have to learn the piano is DVD piano lessons. All you need is a television and DVD player, and your piano or keyboard. Just play the DVD, and follow along with the instructor. As with the software, piano lessons on DVD can be taken at your own pace and convenience.

The alternative options available will save you money, and possibly time, when compared to private instruction. With any of these options, however, the most important factor is you. Make sure you have the right attitude to learn, the discipline to make it happen, and the patience to keep going when you get frustrated. If you can do this, you can learn piano, and save money doing it.

Copyright Lauren Paltrow (Professional Pianist)

Imagine yourself with a guitar, in your room late at night. All is quiet. You have the enthusiasm and desire to become the next rock legend. A month or so passes. Your guitar is now sitting in the corner collecting dust. You’re feeling discouraged, and you’ve pretty much given up. What happened?

For many beginners, the answer is pretty much the same. There was nothing to keep the beginning guitarist focused. Sadly, learning how to play the guitar as a beginner is the hardest part. There is good news: once you finally get into and start learning, you will find that everything becomes easier and easier!

There’s really not much of a chance you can learn to play any instrument alone without a concise lesson planned out by a talented, expert teacher. This is the especially true for the guitar. You can only “play around” particular riffs for so long. It isn’t until you really become serious that you will become a seriously guitarist.

Beginning guitar lessons are the best way to stay on track. However, there’s a catch.

Are there *too* many choices for beginners?

There are so many choices out there, that it can be tough to find the “right one”. The good news is this: there is more than just one “right one”! But you need to learn to distinguish the good from the bad.

Here are some things to consider:

1.    Cost. Private lessons, on average, can cost around $150+ a month.

2.    You need to go with a source that will walk you through, step-by-step, the entire process of learning to play the guitar.  There should be no bias toward specific genres or styles, nor should there be any “human effect” (if an instructor is having a bad day, your lessons obviously won’t be great).

3.    Often times, it is challenging to really get the one on one attention you need, because thirty minute lessons aren’t long enough.

There are some great personal lessons and home study courses. They can be terrific because they are self-paced and affordable. You can get as much out of them as you’re willing to put in. One of the best is Learn and Master Guitar. This features amazing beginner lessons and more. It will provide you with all the info, proper techniques, and tricks that will help you master the guitar. You will receive an entire package, including instructional videos, books, and more. The entire lesson will last for six months, and only costs a one-time fee of $119!

How about 24 lessons for FREE?

If you’d like something cheaper, pay a visit to Jamorama.com.

It’s one of the best sites online that will help you get started with guitar playing. While Jamorama.com and Learn and Master Guitar are two of the best places for beginners, you can also conduct further research.

Here’s what you need to look for in beginner guitar lessons online:

·    Easy beginner lessons that gradually become more difficult.
·    Respectable and reputable author.
·    Wide range of lessons for different skill levels.
·    Easy to follow instructions and lessons.
·    The ability to play popular songs you’re familiar with.
·    Feature bottom written music & guitar tabs.
·    Teach you chords, scales, advanced techniques through fun exercises.

While there are many guitar playing lessons out there, only a few are reputable and strong for beginning levels. In fact, many of them aren’t worth the money! Thus, if you really dream of being a pro guitar player someday, you need to start out with Learn & Master Guitar and/or Jamorama.

Copyright Liam Gibson

First your foot starts to tap, then your hands beat a staccato rhythm on your lap and, before you know it, you’re bopping along to the beat. We’ve all experienced the energy in a night club and felt our pulses quicken to the ‘doof doof doof’ of a bass drum. It’s undeniable: beating the drum is energising and exhilarating.

Drumming circles are formed in corporate, school or community events. Groups of people sit in a circle playing improvised beats on percussion instruments.

Drumming circles are by no means a modern invention. Many cultures have used drumming to energise and aid concentration. Because no musical experience is necessary drumming circles are accessible and are great team building exercises in any context.

Drums from Around the World

Drums come in all shapes and sizes. The instruments used in drumming circles are often of West African or Middle Eastern origin, as opposed to the drums associated with mainstream rock/pop/country music.

The dumbek, for example, is of Middle Eastern origin. The player holds the drum under the left arm and taps out the beat with the fingers of both hands. Originally, dumbeks were carved of wood, but now you’ll find metal and ceramic drumbeks too.

Djembe drums are also a popular choice. Originating in Western Africa, the djembe was used rites of passage and other tribal ritual occasions.

Probably the most well known small handheld drum is the tambourine. Most of us have played a tambourine at some time – they’re small, fun, and virtually fool proof. The tambourine, in one form or another, shows up in the history of many different cultures and has as many names: Gaval, Tamburello, Riq and many more.

Drums such as the drumbek and djembe often feature in world and new age music. Frank Natale, aka Professor Trance and one of the most inspirational figures in the new age movement, promoted drumming and dance – and tribal worldbeat from different cultures – as a way to find your inner balance and place in the world. Frank Natale passed on in 2002.

Drumming and Team Building

So why is drumming such a great team building exercise? There are several reasons, the most obvious being that drumming reduces stress. It puts people in a relaxed social circle and lets them pound out their frustrations on a drum. It’s easy and fun, and the environment is friendly and non-judgemental.

Drumming is also great for creativity. It encourages use of the right side of the brain – the creative side – which, combined with the release of tension, frees up the mind and helps the ideas start to flow again. It also creates enthusiasm and “nothing great in life is achieved without enthusiasm.”

Another reason why drumming is so great for team building and team bonding is that it encourages cooperation and illustrates that every member in the team is equally important. When everybody plays their part the result is harmonious and cohesive.

So there you have it: drumming is healthy! It encourages team work; reduces stress and energises. If you aren’t so sure about the truth of that, grab an old plastic bucket and turn it on it’s head, then tap away for a while – it won’t take you long to find the beat!

And if you simply want to dance to great drum music check out Music Mosaic’s drum compilations.

One last admonishment: Kids, this is not an excuse for waking up the neighbours!

The iPod was released on October 23 2001 and in its various formats has sold over 220,000,000.

They felt that the current portable music hardware was either too small and rubbish or too big and clunky which is why they went about thinking about the iPod. This is when Steve Jobs decided to get his team to design something that would work and be of use to people listening to their music on the go.

the first iPod diod not allow windows users to use it and that was sown out of spite more than anything but was later put into the mark 2 as more people would buy the product. Of course the snd generation of iPods were able to be used on the window systems. Newer generations seem to be released every year now with previous including mini, shuffle and video with the newest being touch. One of the major questions to ask is, how long can all of this success carry on for?

Well the sales have seen a dip this year for the first time since the launch of the first pod which could mean the gadget is set to fall. However there is a likelihood that this is not down to the fact that people do not want iPods anymore but down to the fact that Apple now have the iPhone on the market.

The iPhone of course comes with an iPod already built into it which means that although the sales are down on the iPod the sales of the iPhone are soaring. One of the big issues is the price. With each new iPod comes a bigger price and half the problem could be that with the recession people are just finding it hard to come up with the money for a new gadget every year.

Insurance is important for these gadgets, which is why you should look into gadget insurance or even mobile phone insurance this could really help if something bad happens to it like of course dropping it. Sat Nav Insurance could also be something worth looking into.

Learning the piano takes a lot of effort and time, but it is necessary if you want to become a good pianist.

Tips To Keep Your Practice Productive

The most important thing to remember is that you need to practice in order to get better. It doesn’t matter whether you already know the finger positions and notes or not, piano practice will still be needed to either maintain or improve your skills. It is recommended that you practice everyday, but if this is not feasible then at least three times a week.

If you are having trouble sticking to a routine here are some piano practice tips to keep in mind.

Tip #1

Set a daily practice schedule and make sure you stick to it. You need to get yourself into a piano practice routine. This will help you with your conditioning. At first it might seem boring and like it doesn’t serve a purpose, but after you master the essentials hearing yourself be able to okay will be fun and exciting.

Tip #2

You need to have your piano in a location that is comfortable for you and has plenty of space. Make sure that there are no distractions around to interfere with your piano practice. This includes keeping things like radios, televisions and other noisy items out of the room. Another thing to keep I mind is lighting. There needs to be ample lighting so you can see, but don’t put your computer in direct sunlight for this could cause damage to sensitive parts of the piano.

Tip #3

Warming up is an important part of piano lesson practice. Start out be flexing your fingers and playing simple notes. Once you have done this than move on to the harder notes. Exercising your fingers includes stretching your fingers to reach various notes on the piano. If you are unsure how to do this properly then ask someone for help. Doing this will help you play faster tempo music. Don’t start playing if your fingers feel stiff for this can cause injury and is uncomfortable.

Tip #4

Before you start a new lesson review all previous ones. If you did not finish the lesson from your previous session then start with that once you are finished with your warm-up.

Tip #5

Follow the directions of the instructional method you are using to help you learn. If you have an instructor ask him/her to play along with you so you can learn the rhythm and eventually be able to play it alone.

Tip #6

Set gaols during your piano practice. This will help to keep you focused and on track with your lessons. A benefit of setting goals is you feel as though you are accomplishing something each time you reach your goal.

Tip #7

Make sure to keep a positive outlook on your piano playing. Staying up-beat will help you stay relaxed. If you start to get down or stressed, take a break. Don’t give up because in the end you will enjoy being able to play the piano.

Come up with piano practice techniques that you feel comfortable with. Make sure that your playing feels natural and fits your style.

Copyright Lauren Paltrow (Stage Pianist)

Learning to play classical guitar is an art that should be taken seriously. Classical guitar has a long history and many traditions that need to be respected and upheld when you learn to play classical guitar.

Attitude

Attitude is a crucial factor when you learn how to play classical guitar. When learning there are a couple of things you have to do before you start. You have to be prepared to let go of all your old habits, and be in a position to accept new habits and instruction simply. Many people fail at classical guitar because they can not let go of old habits learned with modern guitar.

The art of classical guitar

Classical guitar is an art form that goes back many centuries. The traditions and history involved in classical guitar are wonderful and interesting. It is important when you first learn to play classical guitar that you take the time to research the history and beginnings of the classical guitar to give you a full understanding on the instrument.

Become one with your guitar

When you learn how to play classical guitar you want to appreciate your guitar and make it an extension of your body. Movement should be smooth and liquid. Playing classical guitar should feel natural and non secular, this could be displayed in your music and how you appear while playing. Become one with your classical guitar and you’ll find the rest will come simply to you.

Relaxation

When you learn how to play classical guitar relaxation is vital. Learning to chill your body and move with the instrument will make sure you move thru chords and notes simply. Often it can be difficult to let go of the stiff stiff position we are used to while playing modern guitar, but when you let go and relax you’ll find your music will improve.

Teachings

Many teachings have been written for people who want to learn to play classical guitar. Finding the right method for you can be a long process. The best way to find the right teaching method for you is to research and try different teachings until you find the one that works best for you.

Basic principles

Understanding the basic principles when you first learn to play classical guitar is important to future success. Basic principles will provide you with a good foundation for success in the world of classical guitar.

Classical guitar is a fun and rewarding instrument. When you first learn to play classical guitar it may seem as though you will never improve or become as good as the professionals. The thing to remember is the professional classical guitar players all started where you are. They were all once beginners too and they achieved success by practicing and mastering their craft.

Lowest prices ever on Jamorama Revealed, grab yours now while they last at Learning Guitar In A Easy Way. Better hurry because supplies are limited.

Jarvis D. Burris