Music Basics

Rightfully or wrongly, musicians are often stereotyped. From the effete neighbor who looks down his nose as we load our gear into the car to the drunken bar patron who thinks his request to “Play...

Greetings, class. Today’s topic is: How to write an effective ad for music instruction. I’ll start out with this cheerful note. One way in which the current economic conditions has particularly...

If you are a music teacher looking to ad new students, there are ways you can use the holidays to your advantage.

The rock House Method is one of the world's largest producers of music instructional DVD's, offering over 80 different DVD,s that cover everything fro piano, keyboards, Bass, drums, guitar, as...

Here is an article on how to get better at palying the guitar. The guitar is a fun instrument for all ages. Everyone is unique and has different learning curves. Just be patient and stick with it....

Many novice and intermediate band members don't use their lungs efficiently when playing their instruments. This article will help you to realize your lungs' full capacity, as well as outline an...

Tuning a guitar is one of the most important skills to develop if you want to become a serious musician. It can be learned in minutes, days, weeks, or months depending on your ability to...

Tuning any snare or drum skin is a time consuming process, however when done correctly can produce a fantastic drum sound with even a cheap snare, however bear in mind you are not going to get the...

Our system of notes and keys has seven different note names, designated with the letters A through G. A C major scale is C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C. The only way to get any other major scale is to change one...

Augmented chords are not difficult to play on the keyboard or piano. In fact, they are easy to play. Just follow the simple steps below.

The guitars neck is mostly wood. Some actually use a steel beam running through them to ensure that the neck stays straight even when exposed to different conditions. If you neck becomes bowed...

The C clef, which is familiar to most musicians, can be placed in 2 different positions on the staff. In the past, it could be placed in many different positions on the staff, but all except 2...

Wanna rock out uncontrollably with your friends but dont know where to start? Wanna end up on the road one day touring, making fans? Heres some tips to help you start.

Of the different clefs, the Bass Clef (also called the F clef) is the easiest to draw. You may have seen this clef at the beginning of music for various instruments, including cello, tuba, piano...

Drawing a Treble Clef (or G clef) in music can be tricky until you memorize how to do it. It is easy to confuse the direction of the lines when first learning to draw Treble Clefs. To make...

If you have deep feelings about a subject then writing about it should be quite easy. Remember every chord in the world has already been played so keep it simple because you can't possibly...

So you wanna be a rapper? How badly?

In this article you will learn basic techniques that will improve articulation. Great for begginners and any level of musician alike these 3 easy to follow steps can help you become a better player.

Dominant seventh chords are extremely valuable in music since they move down a fifth to “do” or tonic. They are useful as cadences and also in leading to a new key. Learn how to play them easily...

Musical instruments, especially string instruments like the guitar, require tuning to keep all of the strings at the right pitch. A tuned electric or acoustic guitar is necessary for a good,...

Whether you are looking for someone to give lessons to your child or for yourself, how do you go about finding a good music teacher?

Many music book lists CHORD SYMBOLS along with the melody. These books are sometimes called FAKE BOOKS and they use the chord approach to playing piano. Other books such as movie tunes or church...

I am a guitar instructor and have been in the music business for 20 years. One of the first questions I always get from my students (or thier parents) is what kind of guitar they should buy. Alot...

I learned how to perform this guitar technique years ago, and it is always nice to be able to do these on the fly when jamming with friends. If you have learned just one scale, then this...

Nylon string guitars are typically easier to play than steel string guitars. They are easier on your fingers and are more forgiving to mistakes.

I have been playing bass for several years now primarily sticking to rock and alternative genres but sometimes I like to get into a little funk or jazz. Many bassists, and I am guilty of this as...

If you play piano or keyboard, fully diminished seventh chords are important to know. There are, amazingly, only three of them, and they continue all the way up and down the keyboard. These...

Playing the c scale is one of the basic things you learn when first playing a keyboard. Because the c scale is the first and the easiest scale to know on the keyboard. This is one of the only...

Songs inspire creativity, emotion, connection and intellect- only how do go about writing a song that you could actually market? If you could only write that hit song, maybe you could license it...

It is impossible to keep your CD's from scratching not matter how well you take care of them. Given enough time of use, your CD's will eventually stop working. If you have a CD that is scratched...

Music is the language of all people. Music can get you through the good and bad times as well as inspire. Michael Jackson inspired us to look at the Man in the Mirror, LL Cool J's Momma Said Knock...

If you play the piano, you would probably like to be able to play more artistically, even if you are just a student. You may play note-perfectly, but you may still not be satisfied. If you feel...

There is a difference between playing the guitar for vocal backup and playing lead guitar, which I my cover in a future article. When you wish to provide the background musical rhythm from a...

This is the simplest way that I know of to tune a four string bass guitar by ear. A tuner takes out all of the guesswork, but you don't always have one handy. And too, the better you get with your...

There are many obstacles to learning to play the piano. Many of these obstacles involve our emotions and beliefs. Getting past these may be what finally gets you playing.

One of the most popular classical piano pieces ever written, Beethoven's "Moonlight" sonata is a must-play for many students. (Please be aware that this sonata has three movements; only...

If you're learning how to play the guitar, but don't know how to read sheet music, tabs can be a great resource to you. They provide a way to learn how to play your favorite songs even if you have...

Playing the bass guitar with a pick is another style of playing the bass guitar. The pick is held in the picking hand and picked as an opposite to plucking the strings on a bass guitar. The pick...

If you want to play thirds and sixths on the keyboard or piano, you should learn them together. There are two types of thirds and sixths, major and minor. If you learn both the theory and the feel...

Nearly everyone knows that music with no sharps or flats is in the key of C if it is major. But many people need to learn how to find the key in music in sharps. Every key signature represents...

In studying music, it is beneficial to understand the harmonic motion of the piece. This can shed light on the composer's style, the style period, and idiosyncracies of the piece itself. ...

Chord changes can be challenging to read. Although there are standards of how to notate the changes, there are multiple styles and some composers seem to invent their own from time to time. So...

I have a classical CD collection that I love to be constantly expanding. However, my calligrapher/piano teacher/college student status currently leaves a lot to be desired financially. As I'm...

Are you a novice who wants to learn to play piano? Or a music teacher who is a bit rusty? Maybe an experienced pianist who is considering playing professionally? How does the idea of an adult...

Sonata form is the most difficult to identify of the five primary forms of classical music. It requires a trained ear and a basic understanding of the sonata's structure. With a little practice,...

Power chords are some of the easyest chords to play on a guitar. And they are called power chords because of how much power each one has when you play it. This article will show you how to find...

Writing a song can be easy if you know some chords on your guitar. If you don't know chords, I suggest you learn some and then come back. I will show you a way to write the basics of a complete...

One of the most fundamental chords in guitar-playing is the E Minor Chord. Also referred to as one of the "open" chords, it is used in everything from rock music to blues guitar. The...

If you are new to guitar or just never learned how to read guitar tablature you are in for a treat. It's SO easy! After I show you some easy examples of guitar tablature and clearly explain how...

If you want to play jazz chords on the keyboard or piano, you would probably like to really master those chords. A friend who is a true jazz artist taught me how to study and learn the chords...