Musical Instruments

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.

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...

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...

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 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...

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...

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...

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...

Tuning is somewhat of an art, and is obviously among the most important skills to perfect. Whether you own a Gibson or other guitar brand, tuning procedures are identical. Electronic tuners are...

A Les Paul style guitar is one of the easier versions to restring. Unlike the Stratocaster, the Les Paul has everything you need easily accessible on the top of the guitar. Changing the strings is...

Of all of the instruments in the string family, the violin is one of the most beautiful. An antique violin is a rare and lucky find. If the violin you have is damaged, there are steps you can take...

Synthesizers use filters and envelopes to alter the sound characteristics of a waveform generated by an oscillator. A filter is a signal processor that removes, enhances or notches individual...

Whammy bars are very easy to put on your guitar, and can be done either by snapping them into place or using a screwdriver. Put a whammy bar on your guitar with help from a guitarist in this free...

A whammy bar is something that will change the pitch of the chords that were just played. Use a whammy bar properly with tips from a guitarist in this free video on the electric guitar.

When learning to play guitar tabs, it's important to know the letters of each string on the guitar. Learn to play guitar tabs with advice from a guitarist in this free video on the electric guitar.

To play an acoustic/electric guitar through an amp, you'll need to connect your guitar to the amp with a cable. Discover how to play an acoustic/electric guitar from a guitarist in this free video...

When tuning a guitar to D flat, you'll want to tune it two half steps below E. Play your guitar in D flat tuning with help from a guitarist in this free video on guitar tuning.

Most guitars are played in the tune of E, also known as standard tuning. Make sure your guitar is in tune with tips from a guitarist in this free video on guitar tuning.

To tune a guitar in B, you must tune it two and a half steps lower than the standard E tuning. Find out how to tune your guitar to B with help from a guitarist in this free video on guitar tuning.

Tuning a guitar can be done by ear or with an electronic tuner. Make sure your guitar is in tune with help from a guitarist in this free video on the electric guitar.

To write songs using guitar chords, it's usually best to follow some sort of structure. Learn to write songs using chords with tips from a guitarist in this free video on guitars.

Changing nylon guitar strings is a bit more challenging for the beginner than changing steel strings. The lack of secured ends, difficulty in bending nylon string material, and extended stretching...

Solo guitar music can bring joy to your ears in any genre. Solo guitarists who don't sing, such as the popular rocker Joe Satriani, make an art of writing instrumentals using the guitar as the...

If you are shopping for a keyboard or digital piano for your family, there are a lot of things you should know. If you or your children are learning piano or keyboard, consider your needs before...

The cajon is a Spanish percussion instrument, a sort of box drum. It is comprised of a resonating box with a thin wooden striking head called a tapa. Most cajons also have a set of snares running...

Prized for its strength and solubility, hide glue is primarily used to enhance the strength of violins and other wooden instruments. They key to having good hide glue is proper preparation....

If you are looking to sell your guitar or are just interested in learning more about it, you may want to figure out its fair market value. One option is to take your guitar to your local music...

Besides the standard major and minor scales, it is possible play several other exotic styles as well. One of these is known as Arabian or Arabic style. This style has an Eastern sound to it that...

Broken guitar tuning pegs usually require replacement rather than fixing. Tuning pegs, also called machine heads, tuners, or tuning keys, can become damaged from accidental impact, or use of tools...

Riffs and leads are the building blocks of rock music. In order to have a great song, an artist needs to incorporate both of the elements and use them to their full potential. Although there are...

A grand piano is a major investment, and it needs proper care to remain in good condition. It's a good idea to deeply clean your piano several times a year and do a brief spiffing once a day; the...

The soundpost in a string instrument is a spruce dowel that sits inside the instrument and connects the top of the instrument with the bottom so that the sound will resonate throughout the entire...

Professional and amateur musicians alike can gain important insight into instrumentation by making their own instruments. Hand making musical instruments instills a sense of pride in the maker and...

One of the main challenges for hearing aid manufacturers is to create hearing aids that work well for both music and speech. Since it's more important for most people to hear speech than music,...

Fast double bass drumming doesn't have to be a secret. In fact, with the right technique and some practice, you can get your double bass speed to increase dramatically within a few weeks

The alto saxophone is a reed instrument and member of the woodwind section. It is usually made of brass, and consists of the mouthpiece (which holds the reed), the neckpiece, and the body. Taking...

Harmony is what makes music cool. A melody line is nice, but adding harmonies to it can take it from pleasing to an extremely emotional, uplifting swell of sound. Harmony is also the basis for...

One talent that can really boost self confidence and impress others is to learn to play acoustic guitar. Few talents prove to appeal more to all types of people than being able to pull out a...