Articles about Instrument Playing Tips

Have you ever been scanning through a chord chart, only to come across two chords separated by the forward slash (/) symbol?

Whether you’re a self-taught beginner or a classically trained performer, you’re bound to run into these funny looking chords from time to time. And depending on your experience with them, a few questions might spring to mind …

When learning any new skill, you're bound to hit a few roadblocks that will leave you frustrated and demoralized. Learning to play the guitar is no exception and it comes with its own set of unique problems. Veteran players know them all too well but they'd also be the first to tell you that once you overcome them, it only gets better. Those beginning to learn to play the guitar will certainly experience these 7 problems, but with some practice, they thankfully won't last long.

Rock bass-guitar players incorporate numerous musical styles to create powerful bass lines that match the intensity of the drums. If you are a beginner bass player, find a music instructor who can teach you the fundamentals of bass playing. Once you have the basics down, use the following tips to improve your rock bass style.

There are reasons that learning scales has traditionally been a part of learning to make music. With any instrument, practicing them regularly will increase fluidity of motion and connection with the instrument. Being able to move through different scales with little effort makes it much easier to pick up musical material in any key and play it. Understanding the idea of keys and how they are built makes it easier to transpose music, and allows an artist a sense of useful structure when trying to compose music.

Slide guitar is a way to play guitar using what is known as a slide. This object is generally made of glass or metal, and each type creates a different tone. Get a slide at a music store to get started. You can also use a lipstick cover, straight razor or even, cigarette lighters. Either way, when you have one, use this advice to help you use it to play.

Sometimes, you just don’t have enough space to set up a full drum kit. Maybe you’re traveling, or you moved into a college dorm for your freshman year. It could also be that you want a small, inexpensive set of pads so that you can practice in your bedroom, instead of having to go all the way down to the basement to whale on the actual kit.

Whether you’re a beginning guitarist or a long-time expert, shopping for a new instrument is likely to inspire giddiness that can’t be replicated anywhere else in life. The difference between a novice’s shopping habits and those of a two-decade-long player is that the new guitarist might not know exactly what to look for. You’re still trying to figure out your style and preferences, so getting the best instrument for your tastes might be more challenging. These tips and suggestions will help you pick a guitar that will make joyful ...

Many piano students question the wisdom of practising scales and arpeggios. Practice sessions begin with what seems to be a frustrating waste of time, a reluctant run through mechanical, repetitive and frankly boring exercises which appear to be designed to stop them getting to the interesting part of practice - the repertoire. However, scales can offer the pianist so much more. Intelligent and focused practice of scales can have an impressive impact on performance, technique and overall musicianship.

The guitar is a cultural icon in American music. It helped free African American slaves and end the Vietnam War. You've decided to add your name to the hall of fame of great musicians, and become a legendary guitarist. The great news is, you can definitely do it. But first, you must learn to play guitar. Here is some indispensable, expert advice on how to learn the craft.

The minor pentatonic scale is extremely common. It is used extensively in American blues music and other cultures around the world employ it frequently as well. Personally, the minor pentatonic is one of my favorite scales and probably the one I rely on most for live improvisations. Here is the minor pentatonic in the key of G:

One of the most difficult elements of both sight reading and ear training in music is the mastery of intervals. Once you know your intervals, almost no piece of music is out of your ability, and you will soon be able to sight read or transcribe any piece you hear. The best way to learn your intervals is to think of them in the context of songs that you already know. Once you associate a Perfect 4th, for instance, with the first interval in “Here Comes the Bride,” you’ll never forget it. Here are a few mnemonic devices you can use to ...

The piano is a beautiful instrument with a long history. First developed in Italy by inventor Bartolomeo Cristofori in the early 18th century, the pianoforte was a keyboard instrument based on the older harpsichord. The pianoforte was unique for its ability to play notes at different volumes, something earlier keyboard instruments could not do - hence its name, from the Italian words for "soft" (piano) and "strong" (forte.)

A thumb pick is a plastic plectrum that a guitarist fits onto the thumb rather than holding a flat pick between thumb and forefinger. This gives the player freedom to use the forefinger to pluck the strings in unison with, or separately from the thumb without losing control of the plectrum. Some music historians say that the use of the thumb pick originated with the early blues artists who played the banjo in preference to the guitar.

If you think writing songs for children is an easy option, think again. Children’s songs may not contain the sophistication of other forms of music, but they still present many challenges to the composer. In fact, their simplicity is one of the main factors to overcome. The writer needs to inject humour, fun, memorable words and catchy melodies in a limited space, using basic musical material. However, by keeping a few key ideas in mind, composing a children’s song can be a successful and enjoyable project.

Tuning is a very simple process, but a requirement for any rehearsal, show or recording that - believe it or not - can often be overlooked. Depending on your instrument, you may even need to tune between songs at a show.

Many young people dream of learning to play the guitar but delay it off because they have not decided on the style they want to learn. There are so many great guitar players, so much wonderful music. How do you go about choosing a particular genre to study seriously? One way is to take acoustic guitar lessons so that you can learn what guitar playing feels like for you, as an individual. That way, you will not be wasting your time looking for a convenient opportunity to make a final decision on your preferred genre before you start playing ...

A good guitar amplifier is one of the most important parts of making your instrument sound great. However, it is not enough to just have a good amp. You must also know how to get the best possible sound out of your amp. Let's take a look at some ways to make your guitar amp sound great.

OK, so you’ve bought your first guitar and already your mind is dreaming about rock superstardom. Pretty soon you’ll be joining the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Jimi Page and Jack White in the pantheon of all-time rock gods. There’s just one problem though: you’re not entirely sure how to get your shiny new music-box in tune.

The pentatonic scales are the most important scales to learn for evolving guitar steps. The pentatonic scales are used in all styles of music, especially pop & rock. They serve particularly as a special gift for amateur guitarists with less experience. They are very easy to remember and apply to almost any music style with a little time to practice.

This article gives some tips on how to memorize them and use them.

Whether it's around the campfire, with family, or a personal jam session, playing the guitar is a fun and wonderful hobby to invest in. As a beginner, however, you'll need some tips to help you get started. Use these to help prevent the many pitfalls that can cause trouble for the new guitar player.

Guitar chord diagrams show you how play chords. At first they can look like confusing grids of lines, numbers, and circles. Soon, though, they become useful tools for learning and writing down finger positions.

This article provides some basic hints on how to read guitar chord diagrams.

First, the cold, hard truth: your first tour is not going to make you famous. Your first tour should not be six weeks of hardcore driving and shows. Your first tour will probably break up your band--that is, if you don't do it right. Touring is not an easy thing to embark upon initially, especially when you and your bandmates are doing all the work yourself, from booking to driving to promotion to playing the show. However, with a few tips from seasoned industry veterans, you can avoid some common mistakes and make it a little less pai ...