Archive for September, 2009

Guitar Scales and Chords, How They Help You To Play Guitar Solos Better

Minor Pentatonic Scale in action

If you are a student taking beginner guitar lessons and you are starting to get into playing leads, solos, and improvising, then it is very important to understand what guitar scales to practice and when to use them. Before we go shredding away playing crazy guitar solos, we need to take a look at what type of chords are being used in our song or chord progression to help us decide what scales on guitar will work the best.

The basic idea of how chords and scales go together is this: If a chord is only made up of a couple notes (such as a power chord) then you will want to play a pentatonic scale over it because this scale only has five notes in it. If a chord is made up of three or more notes (such as a major or minor chord), full major and minor scales will work better because they are made up of seven notes and have more notes in common with the chord. A great thing about playing guitar solos in rock music is that after you have learned what your key signature is, you don’t need to think about changing it. The one scale will work great for the whole song. If your trying to solo over more complex music, such as jazz, playing one scale through the whole song won’t sound good. You need to use different scales as the chords change.

The most popular type of chord in Rock music is by far the Power Chord. If your looking for basic guitar chords then look no further. Power Chords are the simplest chords for guitar because they only contain two notes, the root and the fifth. When your playing guitar scales over a chord you want the two to have as many notes in common as possible. Since a power chord only has two notes in it, a pentatonic scale (the king of all rock guitar scales) is always a great choice to use. This is because it is made up of only five notes instead of seven like the major and minor scale has. The most important thing here is that you play the scale on the same note as the key signature.e. If A minore is the key of your song, then you should play the minor pentatonic scale on the note A.

Should I use a Major or Minor Pentatonic Scale?

To make sure your guitar solo sounds good, stick with the Minor Pentatonic Scale pattern. Most rock songs and chord progressions are in minor key signatures so the minor pentatonic scale will always work great. The major pentatonic scale can also be used, you just have to start it on the relative note (we will discuss this in future articles).

When should I use full Major and Minor scales?

I always like using Major and Minor scales because they allow you to play really fast and smooth soloing lines. Using them to solo in rock tracks is harder than using minor pentatonic scales though. The most beneficial time to apply these scales is when your tune uses major and minor chords, not power chords. The cool thing about these types of chord progressions is that you can still use a Minor Pentatonic Scale if you want to keep it simple or you can integrate both scales and create some really cool and unique licks.

For a great lesson on how to practice guitar scales, visit the Members Section on the Rock Guitar Power website at http://www.rockguitarpower.com. There is a bunch of backing tracks there, in different keys and styles, to help you practice your lead playing, create your own solos, and work on your improvising skills. If you look at the examples, you will get an idea of how to use these tracks for guitar soloing.

Deciding the Best Musical Instrument to Study

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For some people, deciding on which musical instrument to focus on studying may be easy, some might find it harder. The liking of several types of instruments might happen to others while the feeling of fear may deter some people to try it.

There is no effective formula that one could use in order to determine what musical instrument he should choose, however there are things you can do which could make the decision easier. For all you know, your choice of instrument be your own vocal chords! Having it in mind and focusing on your voice lessons may guarantee your singing success early. However, if you prefer other means of musical expression, here are a few rules that might help.

Having to ask yourself regarding your favorite music you want to listen to is the first step. What about acoustic music, how does it make you feel? What is your reaction when you listen to piano performances? By checking your collection of songs in the MPE or CD, you can pinpoint what style your fondest of and the instruments you want to hear most often.

Passion is one of the factors to successfully learn a certain instrument. A passionate person does not stop to do what he likes best until he is an expert of it. Break out of your shell with the award winning Learn & Master Guitar system. The fact that you play the guitar everyday could be boring but not if you like what you do and what you hear.

Realistic reasons must be undertaken for considerations. While some types of music lessons require you to pay for more, there are those which entail payment for less. You may want to take this alternative and not the more expensive lessons in case you want to study. It does not suggest though that you should give wat to your passion to learn because it is pricey. You just have to be aware of the obstacles you may face along the way and identify your goals in case you want something. Will you be able to buy a piano to play with? For beginners, learning to play the guitar would be a good choice than buying other instruments. Will your area in the house permit you to have piano or cello? Being able to have way in the musical instrument of your choice is a big factor in fruitfully learning how to play it. Rising above the tests that they face are what others do especially those who have exceptional music lovers. There can be no second thoughts about it, but for those whose first love is not feasible, learning to play other musical instrument is a good substitute until the former becomes viable.

comprehending the basic suggestion could aid you find the right musical instrument for you. In the end, it turn out to be a personal battle that you have to go through. Falling in love with something and keeping with it for a long time is a decision you do yourself. Picking the finest instrument for you could be easily arrived at by examining different instrument until you find the one you want.

Five Steps For Learning To Play The Piano

You may never be able to rival the best of the best as a pianist, but anybody with the real desire to learn the piano will be able to indulge their passion to some level that will satisfy them. All you need is an appropriate time commitment and the determination to keep at it.

Here’s a handy checklist of five key ingredients to keep in mind as you endeavor to master this beautiful instrument:

1. You need to be able to practice whenever you want to. Restricting yourself to your teacher’s piano at the weekly lesson, isn’t going to be good enough. Plan to practice for at least 30 minutes per day because the piano is not easy to learn. You can’t do this if you don’t have easy access to an instrument. An electronic keyboard – ideally with at least 61 keys – will be ok if you can’t get a real piano. And more sure you have a piano desk lamp, or another form of light, to illuminate the keys effectively.

2. You’re going to need some form of teaching. In an ideal world you would take private lessons from an experienced teacher. If this isn’t possible, there are plenty of excellent multimedia tuition materials available these days and even interactive computer software such as Rocket Piano.

3. Don’t take on a song that’s too hard. Don’t try to take on a piece of music that is too hard for you at your current skill level. It’s extremely important that you keep your motivation high and nothing will kill this more than taking on too much and becoming frustrated.

4. Look for experienced piano players to get advice from. Try to go along to piano recitals and such. in your local area and speak to the musicians and ask them for any tricks that helped them get started. Don’t be shy because musicians tend to be friendly people.

5. Practice, practice, practice. The more you can practice, the better. Repetition is the key to being able to play the piano really well. There really is no substitute for daily practice.

There you have it, the five steps. Five things to keep in mind as you learn the piano. Playing a musical instrument is a wonderful skill to possess so make sure to keep at it.

Spaced Oddities at Bestival 2009

Hurry! You will have to move quickly. Don’t let anyone tell you that the space race is over – it’s only just beginning. There is not much time left to get going on your outfit. What I am referring to is the space theme at the multi-award winning Isle of Wight Bestival. It is probably aimed to coincide with the fortieth anniversary of the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing.

Whether you are hunky Han Solo or a budding Barbarella, you need to move quickly to ensure your costume is finished in time. But if you don’t have the time or patience, don’t worry. Within the confines of the festival site exists the excellent Dressing-Up Area which offers a neat range of costumes for hire. You can also find other things of interest such as retro clothing, hair styling, nail painting and the legendary moustache bar. If you like to be shinny and sparkle under the stars, then this Bestival is for you. From my previous experience, I found the people to be great and inspiring, fueling my anticipation over the whole weekend!

The Bestival 2009 is set to blast off in its now familiar setting at the Robin Hill Country Park from the 11-13 September. Bestival 2009 will feature some of the best artists in the land, including Massive Attack, Lily Allen and the aptly named ‘They Came From The Stars’.

Fortunately you don’t need a warp drive to get you there, as Wightlink operate the best IOW ferry service available. You can either book online or call 081 376 1000 to find out about the different ticket options and to hear about further details.

If this is not your idea of entertainment, then check our guide to see what else is on offer this summer in the Isle of Wight. The family can enjoy plenty of attractions, including some of the best beaches in the country!

You Can Make Your Own Beats With A Beat-Making Progam

 

If you are a serious musician and you want to make your own beats, you will probably be having a problem on how to make it as original as possible, right? But right now, you don’t have to worry about a thing because you can make your own beats with the help of a downloadable beat making software. This software is very user-friendly that even those who are first-timers can easily make their own beats to make their own music even just in one day. You can check this one out and for sure, if you are a serious musician, whether a professional or just a hobbyist or just plain music lover, you will find this software very interesting.

Of course, there are other options that you can go for if you need to create your own original tracks. You can come up with a band on your own, set your own rigs in your garage and basement. But what if you don’t have your own band and there is no one else who would like to make music with you? For some, they would take the chance of utilizing the Net to find several beats tracks and download them for a price. They would try to buy some hip hop or rap tracks or guitar tracks and play along with it or sing along with it. However, if you really are into making your own 100% original music, it’s best that you get your own beat making software and easily create your own beats.

The fact of the matter is, there are dozens or even hundreds of beat making software available on the Net today and sometimes, you will be dazed and confused to choose which one is best for you. That’s why, when you want to make own beats, the ones that you can really call your own, you should try to read some reviews first so you will have some useful information about the different kinds of beat making software available today.

How to Sell Songs

sell song

 

Trying to sell your songs to a music publisher or licensing house is a great idea. Don’t forget these are two different individuals! I you are decide you want to send the music directly, you should find out before hand as much as possible about the person you will be sending the music to will be. Undertake to get away a spot regarding them, and build your advance based on that. It is necessary to be positive that you are contacting the person most interested in your style of songs. If you want to take the indirect approach to selling music, you will need to higher a music manager or agent who has already established business relationships with publishers and licensing agencies. Songwriters and artists who want to sell songs that aren’t perfectly mixed and mastered should not worry too much, but this really is dependent on who you are playing the song to . It is much easier to produce a demo version that can sound good with technology at the accessible level that it is. You should aim to represent your songs as best you can. Some songs benefit from having “character” or a few glitches, so don’t worry too much about getting your songs to sound so polished – just make sure that you are happy with the result and comfortable that you have done your song justice. These days you will be facing two types of song buyer: First will be the buyer who is buying your song to license it out in adverts, movies, internet video adverts etc. Some buyers are more artistic and are looking for songs for particular artists or for a different kind of music… This following category will be much more likely to recognize a less than practiced demonstration since they are looking for “songs. Since most demos are now more of a “factory line” scenario, the first type will be more used to that. They may be asked if they have music similar to X to be used in a movie the next day. They will look through their catalogue to see what they have and then send it off.. Your song; they do not have time to find someone to record it.. Generally, having your songs signed with a publisher or licensing agent can be tremendously beneficial to your career. However, many ethical issues can arise from the decisions that you will need to make so it is critical that you stick to your personal ethics! One of my consumers got obtainable way over $100,000 by a corporation who wanted to use their trail in an advert. They turned it down, because they didn’t agree with this company for whatever reason. Perhaps this would have been a good public relations opportunity for them. This would have been undoubtedly regretted! If you want to be a serious artist, one of the reasons to sell songs to a traditional publisher is that they may help you with strategic planning in terms of career. Some companies will plan a course of action for the next six months and up to a year in some cases. They will also identify other artists or writers that an artist will be able to collaborate with. They may decide that your music is perfect for a particular TV show for example,that in with a release of some kind and then try to tie.

How to Strum the Guitar Using The Team Method Guitar

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Team teaching is a technique that has been around for years, but its use in the field of Guitar learning is relatively new. The coordinated competence of quiet a few faculty members to teach a wide scope of specialized topics is vital in team method of teaching in order to achieve the common goal of equipping the student with complete all-round knowledge about the subject under focus. When compared to their colleagues, team teaching encourages teachers and allows them to train exceptionally well. Ultimately, the trainee gets the most benefit by learning the finest concepts and most current information about the subject matter which is delivered to him in a way that it can be easily grasped. The team of lecturers teach the student systematically about the given topic by means of utilizing a variety of different teaching styles and techniques. A trained guitar teacher and a professional guitarist himself with several years of experience, Ben Edwards applied this concept of team teaching to the area of guitar learning.

The utilization of this concept by him known as Team Method Guitar emerged to be one of the most successful guitar training programs existing in the market today. Learn and Master Guitar and Team Method Guitar are hands-down the best. A teacher can use his own unique styles and expertise in training the students on how to play the guitar in this program. Through great preparation , Ben Edwards is able to coordinate everything that each teacher knows ahead of time as to what he ought to lecture and as to what topics he ought to cover. In so doing, overlapping could be passed upon. Moreover, topics are allotted to teachers in a manner appropriate to their individual area of expertise and level of technical understanding in guitar playing.

By purchasing the Team Method Guitar, you get the following: two manuals (one for beginners and one for intermediate level learners), two professionally produced DVD’s (which demonstrate the convenient aspects of guitar playing techniques, like the close up shots of the left and right hand movements and positioning, strumming techniques, etc), two audio Jam along CD’s (that permit you to play the guitar lead together with a real band), a mini course called “Learning to Play by Ear” (which assists in ear training and in developing a musical ear), a book and a DVD called “Chord Reference Kit” (that reveals you the different chords and chord progressions in small songs, complimentary guitar licks and riffs). Singing Success can also help with this. An exclusive book, a DVD, and a Jam-along CD designed specifically for advanced level players are coming with the purchase.

The purchase will be including a mini course intended solely for acoustic guitar players, with five video lessons, various jam tracks and many useful tips and interesting guitar tricks. Purchasing this package allows you to acquire four unique software programs that are compatible on both PCs and Macs. An enthusiatic way to transcribe music in your mind and sharpen your musical ear could be made by a game called ‘GuitEarIt’. To hone your skills in music reading, you must play a game known as ‘JaydeMusica Pro’. A software known as ‘Guitar Tuner Pro’ will be an advantage in tuning your instrument properly while the Team Method Guitar Learning Metronome would be useful in honing your rhythm, tempo and timing would be yours. The software known as Audacity will let you to record your solos, guitar licks, riffs and small songs so you can change them.

High End Speakers

My friends all pick on me for the quantity of audio hardware that I own.  Not only have I got the most recent in surround sound receivers, but I have high end speakers which will just blow your mind.  The sound is certainly unreal!  All my pals laugh at me they believe that it is a waste to have such high end audio speakers.  You see, all of us have the same taste in music.  We all like punk rock, metal, hard-core, and fundamentally anything that is loud and raucous.  Why get high end stereo speakers, they ask, when you are listening to music that is often heavily distorted?  Perhaps I sound like a snob here, but I don’t think that my mates understand the class of the tunes that we are listening to.  Simply because it is punk rock, or metal, does not mean that it is noise.  On the contrary, there is a massive amount of subtlety and nuance in the tone that only good audio speakers can pick up. 

Of course, it matters less with some of the music.  The garage punk that I was into, as an example, sounds about the same thru high end speakers as it does through low end speakers.  The sound is usually muffled, poorly recorded, and made on substandard apparatus.  As a consequence, regardless of how pathetic the speakers you use, it truly will not make much of a difference in the way that it comes thru.  For that stuff their right high end speakers really are a waste. 

But for a lot of the metal, and even some of the more innovative and experimental punk music, the top end speakers are really critical.  Simply because a kind of music is noisy this not mean that it does not have a good range of sounds.  High end speakers can capture all the sound to the music, from the screeching highs to the booming lows, and everything between.  Without a good high end spokesman, such a lot of the sound is lost, and that may be a shame.  My high end speakers let me hear sounds that i’ve never heard before, and I would not hear without them.  It is my friends who are the snobs low fidelity snobs.  To them it feels like it all sounds the same.  It is unfortunate that they will miss out on all the sonic nuances that I get to hear.  But that’s the breaks!

Whilst we’re talking about speakers we should mention the Bose Wave audio. It’s a brilliant system for those who don’t have room for a system with big speakers. To read reviews, specifications and news of the latest Bose Wave systems then visit the Bose Wave Blog.

Where House Music Orginated From

House music is a type of music that is a sytle of electronics dance music.  It was first developed in the mid 1980′s in Chicago by club DJ’s.  Funk dance music and disco style music is found in house music.  It is not known why it is called house music.  It is rumoured to have originated in a club call the Warehouse.  Warehouse parties were very popular in the late 1970′s and early 1980′s in Chicago. These warehouses were underground and in attendance were mostly gay Black and Latino men.

Frankie Knuckles was the DJ at the Warehouse and he mixed European synthpop music with mixed classic disco music, punk recordings, industrial music and new wave music for people who frequented the club regularly.  It is said that it was those people that started referring to the music as house music.  This fact is disputed by musician Larry Heard claims that the DJ’s record most of the music at their house and that is why is it called house music. Another DJ Chip E claims that the term house music came from a type of recording at a studio.  That is why it is mentioned above that these stories are only rumoured because it is unknown for sure.

Wherever club goers went, teenagers hung out whether it be at someone’s house or garage, house music developed quickly and then it got even more popular when it started being played on commercial radio.  It was much longer than other music and had more of a concept than other music that was played on the radio. It had not been been meant for commercial use. They combined it with different touches of musical instruments to make sound more civil and give it more substance.  House music is still very popular today all over the world thanks to the many musicians who have contributed their style to this. Many of today’s producers and DJ’s have appeared in the house music scene to help keep it popular.

The mayor of Chicago recently announced that August 10th from now on be “House Unity Day” in the city of Chicago.  Also Detroit, New York and Atlanta are just some of the cities where racially mixed populations are catching up to Chicago and the rest of the world with the popularity of House Music.  This craze of House Music is worldwide including countries like Canada, Australia, Scandinavia and Germany as well as all over the U.S.

Playing Piano by Ear 101

You can actually learn the piano by “playing by ear,” but it’s not the common route. The usual way to learn to play the piano is to learn and read music at the same time. No matter how they learned, most professional musicians can play by ear, but this was a talent most honed with many years of practice, reading music, listening, and imitating. That being said, playing by ear is sometimes a case of being born with the talent. It is said that Mozart as a small child could play and compose beautiful compositions before he even saw a sheet of music.

Reading music, however, is a necessary skill and, as a result, most piano instruction starts out by teaching it. It will teach you everything you need to know to play the piano by ear. Without good technique and a solid understanding of music theory, playing by ear will be much more difficult for most people. So spend time with your scales and positions. These seemingly mundane tasks should be a part of every practice session. They build good habits, and just as important, they train your ear. We’re not all Mozart, but we can gain some of his skill with practice!

Once you reach an intermediate level, you may need to search for a teacher skilled in the art of playing by ear. This will give you another jump in your abilities. They can help you learn the tricks of the trade for listening that will help you identify chord progressions that form the foundation of any piano playing. They will usually combine this skill with regular music-related teachings.

Whether you want to play for your own pleasure, play for friends and family, or even make a career in music, you’ll be well-served by opting to both read music and hone those playing by ear skills. If you’ve ignored either, it’s never too late to start. There are even Internet or computer-based courses, such as Rocket Piano Software, that teach these skills.

Start searching, keep learning and make sure you have fun in the process. Once you have a beautiful piano and piano light, and you can both read music and play by ear, you’ll be a complete pianist!

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