Musical Instruments

This is often referred to as the Keith Richards tuning, since he made it so popular. Others just call it one of the easiest ways to learn how to play guitar. The reason is that in open G tuning,...

If you or your child play an instrument, sometimes the inside of your storage case can acquire smells. If you have purchased a used instrument, its case may have come with a smell. Here's an...

If you have a grand piano, you know how dusty and dirty it can get under the lid. There are several things you can do on your own to clean inside the grand piano lid and keep it clean.

Have you always wanted to learn the piano but didn’t have the time and or money to take classes? If so, then taking lessons online might be a great way to begin. You can take the courses on your...

As promised, I am writing an article on how to play harmonics on a guitar. This can get a bit tricky, so stick with it and I’m sure you will catch on. Let’s get started.

I am going to expand on my previous article on guitar tuning by ear. This is a modification to it, and requires that you know how to use harmonics . If you have not already read my articles on...

G major is among the most asked for scales on clarinet and one of the easier to learn. It covers a large portion of the clarinet range, usually played over two octaves. On Bb clarinet, the G...

According to Moongold.me.uk, the tung, tongue or slit drum is a traditional African musical instrument usually made out of a log with a slit in it, which is hit with mallets to produce a tone. The...

Guitar soloing is an art that requires musical education and a lot of practice. Even the best lead guitarists achieved their skills by playing a lot of "runs" up and down the neck of the guitar....

Acoustic electric violins, like acoustic electric guitars, can be played both with or without amplification. They contain a pick up that allows them to be plugged into an amplifier. These...

The Irish penny whistle is known by several names, such as the Irish tin whistle and the Irish penny flute. This instrument, which belongs to the wind family of instruments, descended from an...

Timpani, or kettle drums, are an essential part of any orchestra or band. The timpani are derived from pitched medieval drums. Learning proper technique and musicality are important, but a...

The bow and arrow are among the oldest projectile weapons. The first bows were made of wood and sinew with wooden or wood and flint arrows. The length and tension of the bow determine how far its...

Chords and riffs are the skin and bones of modern guitar music; they make up most of what you hear in a song. But runs and fills are the details--the way guitarists put their stamp on a piece of...

The Supertone brand of banjos was manufactured by Sears, Roebuck and Co. as an affordable option for beginner musicians. The banjos now represent a collector's item or curio because the brand was...

The Yamaha Corporation is well known around the world for providing products in a wide range of markets. One of its most successful enterprises is musical instruments, including electric bass guitars.

Learning to restring an electric guitar can be daunting, but with a bit of experience can be easily accomplished. Restringing on your own will save time and money, and will help you become...

Trumpet scales are the most basic notes learned with the instrument. They familiarize you with the fingerings as well as immerse you in the tonal basics for most types of Western music. They also...

Timpani have been a part of the European classical orchestra since the late 1600s, but they originated in the Middle East. Timpani are a pair of large drums that are played by striking them with...

The distinctive tone of the Gibson Les Paul Classic electric guitar has as much to do with the specific components it uses as it does with how these electronics are wired. The Les Paul guitar,...

Taking care of your acoustic guitar is essential to having a good sounding instrument. According to Ringmusic.com, the pleasant sound of new strings is often undermined by environmental factors...

The removal of knobs from Marshall amplifiers is similar to that of any amplifier or guitar. Knobs are installed to aid turning of the control's potentiometer shaft to make sound adjustments, and...

Profile is a popular brand of value-priced tuners for electronic guitar and bass. Included in the Profile line are several clip-on tuners, a surface mount stick-on unit and a higher-end foot-pedal...

One very common problem for violinists is the issue of sticky tuning pegs. Sticking pegs are caused by too much friction between the peg and the pegbox, preventing the violinist from smoothly...

The world renowned Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has been manufacturing sought-after musical instruments for more than half a century. Originally an amplifier manufacturer, it has gone on...

The power chord is one of the most basic and essential chords for any guitarist to know. This versatile chord can be used in any key and in any genre, but is most often heard in blues and rock...

The pocket trumpet, while not quite small enough to literally fit in your pocket, is small enough to fit inside many glove compartments, yet plays with the same range as a full-sized trumpet. If...

For years, Yamaha has solidified itself as one of the major leaders in the music and keyboarding industry. Its long line of digital pianos and portable keyboards are used not only by hobbyists but...

Bluegrass and Americana musicians once had to make do with whatever instruments were available, or had to create some from scratch with household items, such as blowing into a jug to provide bass...

The Planet Waves Pro-Winder Tuner is a five-in-one guitarist's tool, featuring a string winder, bridge pin puller, string stretcher, string cutter, and chromatic tuner. The unit is designed to...

The name Fender is synonymous with two of the most popular guitars on the market today. The Stratocaster still inspires imitators more than 50 years since it was first released, and the Telecaster...

Nylon string is a safe, harmonic and humane replacement for the gut strings harvested from animals that used to adorn string instruments. Most nylon guitar strings come pre-cut to fit particular...

Whether playing in a band, recording in a studio, or merely playing music as a hobby at home, knowing what instrument you want to purchase is important. Knowing the differences between digital...

Every family of instruments has its own unique means of producing the vibrations necessary for a musical tone. As a member of the brass family, the trumpet's notes are produced through the pitched...

Proper instrument maintenance is an important part of any musician's responsibilities. Brass instruments must be cleaned frequently in order to counteract the effects of gunk buildup from oil,...

Bells are one of the simplest of percussion instruments and the most entertaining to build yourself. Following the common practice of creating "found percussion" instruments using items from...

The traditional piano has 88 keys and covers a range of just over seven octaves. The piano, because it allows players to play chords and melody lines simultaneously, is a popular instrument for...

Writing songs for a guitar can be approached in different ways. Determine the best way for you to write a song for a guitar with advice from an active guitar instructor in this free video on...

Identifying cadences means to find two or more chords in a composition or phrase that convey a feeling of completion. Find out how to identify cadences with tips from an active guitar instructor...

Scales are a great way to develop technique, tone production and learning to synchronize and coordinate the left hand sequence. Discover how to use scales from an active guitar instructor in this...

When learning lead guitar, you'll first need to make sure you're in a key or playing against some cord progressions that belong in a key. Start playing lead guitar with advice from an active...

Guitar picks can be used on any guitar and, it comes down to personal preference on how exactly you hold it. Determine the best way for you to hold a guitar pick with tips from an active guitar...

When tuning a guitar to itself, you'll need either a electronic tuner or a pitchfork. Tune your guitar to itself with guidance from an active guitar instructor in this free video on learning guitar.

Natural harmonics means that the harmonics fall on the guitar's finger board naturally. Learn to play natural harmonics with help from an active guitar instructor in this free video on learning...

In this How to you will learn how to play a C chord on a standard tuned Ukulele. The C is a very easy chord to play and sounds good in many different chord progression or picking patterns

This is one of the best guitar lessons I have ever learned. Having an out of tune guitar while on the go can be a very frustrating thing if a tuner is not nearby. Being a guitarist for the past...

Sounds worth a thousand pictures: Speakers get artistic. Alive and calculating: The HP-12C lives on. Cool stuff worth tracking. And finally … hand signals for the military.

Nearly all banjo heads now are made of Mylar plastic and often painted white. Painting your banjo head can be a great way to make your instrument stand out. You can use a solid color or a design....

Based in San Dimas, California, Charvel is a company that manufactures electric guitars. Charvel instruments are available only through authorized dealers. Fender Musical Instruments Corporation...

No matter what styles and genres of music you enjoy listening to, the power of this universally-loved art form is its ability to communicate ideas and feelings that might otherwise be...