MUSIC LESSONS

Ludwig van Beethoven: A Musical Revolutionary

2023-12-25T20:36:00.000-08:00

Ludwig van Beethoven, a titan of classical music, stands as a towering figure whose compositions and life story continue to inspire generations. Born in Bonn, Germany, in 1770, Beethoven's life was marked by both triumph and adversity, ultimately leaving an indelible mark on the world of music.

Early Life and Musical Prodigy

Beethoven demonstrated his musical prowess at a young age, being taught by his father Johann van Beethoven, himself a singer and musician. His talent flourished, and by his early teens, Beethoven was supporting his family as a court musician. Recognizing his potential, he moved to Vienna in his early twenties, a city that would become the center of his creative life.

Musical Evolution and Innovation

Beethoven's compositions spanned various musical forms of his time, from symphonies and piano sonatas to chamber music and concertos. His early works echo the styles of Haydn and Mozart, yet as his career progressed, Beethoven's compositions underwent a revolutionary transformation. His music embraced innovation, defied conventions, and pushed the boundaries of what was deemed possible in classical music. His compositions were marked by intense emotions, daring harmonies, and unprecedented structural innovations, leading to the Romantic era in music.

Deafness and Triumph Over Adversity

One of the most poignant aspects of Beethoven's life was his battle with deafness. This affliction, which began in his late twenties and worsened over time, posed a profound challenge to the composer. Despite this adversity, Beethoven continued to compose, pouring his innermost thoughts and emotions into his music. His famous "Heiligenstadt Testament," a letter written to his brothers, revealed his struggles with hearing loss and the torment it brought him. Yet, Beethoven's determination to overcome these obstacles is evident in his late masterpieces, including the Ninth Symphony and the Missa Solemnis, where he communicated through music what words could not express.

Legacy and Impact

Beethoven's impact on music cannot be overstated. His compositions have become iconic and continue to influence musicians across genres. His Ninth Symphony, especially its final movement featuring "Ode to Joy," remains a universal anthem of joy, freedom, and unity. Beyond his music, Beethoven's life and character continue to inspire. His unwavering dedication, resilience in the face of adversity, and commitment to artistic expression serve as a testament to the human spirit. Ludwig van Beethoven's legacy endures not only through his compositions but also through the timeless message of perseverance, innovation, and the boundless power of music. His life serves as a beacon of inspiration for artists and individuals alike, reminding us that true greatness often emerges from the depths of struggle and adversity. Ludwig van Beethoven's life and music are a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of artistic expression. His legacy continues to captivate audiences worldwide, ensuring his place as one of the most influential composers in the history of music.

Keyboard Instruments | Piano History

2015-10-12T07:37:00.000-07:00

All keyboard instruments in my opinion are very unique and must be appreciated by all musicians.
Today I would like you to join me in this piano history reflection and how sweet each keyboard instruments sound. Listen carefully to the sound of the instruments in this video.

All credit goes to the individuals who have put this video together. I find it very interesting and informative.

I know you have enjoyed this video.

You can also visit these websites with information about the history of the piano.

http://www.choose-piano-lessons.com/history-of-the-piano.html

http://pianonet.com/all-about-pianos/history-of-the-piano/

Two of Bob Marley's Most Popular Songs

2013-10-16T22:47:00.001-07:00

Bob Marley whose real name is Robert Nesta Marley is a Jamaican reggae artiste. His songs have place Jamaica on the global scene and have cause a number of tourist visit the island.

Bob Marley was born in a community named Nine Mile in the parish of Saint Ann. Even though Marley died in 1981, his music still touch the hearts of many individuals across the world. He is still viewed as the number one artiste in Jamaica and is the greatest reggae artiste of all time.

Below are two of Bob Marley's most popular songs that many individuals love to listen to.

ONE LOVE

REDEMPTION SONG

Which Bob Marley song is your favourite? Please leave your answers in the comment box!

Benefits of Music Lessons | Can it boost brain development?

2013-05-18T19:45:00.000-07:00

Can music lessons boost brain development?

A large number of parents from different countries across the globe, are now allowing their children to take music lessons from an early age. Some children start from as early as four years old.

This great interest by parents may be influenced by the positive results of researches done on the benefits of music lessons on young children. As a matter of fact, some researchers indicate that students who participates in learning a musical instrument performs well in their academics.

Today I want to share an article with you on how music lessons can boost brain development in children.

Let me know what you think about the article. I personally find it to be very interesting and support most of the views of the author. Click on the link below to view the article.

Early music lessons boost brain development

Thank you for visiting.

Remember to leave your comment.

Choose-piano-lessons.com is one of the fastest growing piano lesson websites online, visit them today. Go to choose-piano-lessons.com for free beginner piano lessons.

Free Printable Sheet Music on the Internet

2013-03-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

Free Printable Sheet Music on the Internet

by Carlinton Singh

Many individuals are in search of free printable sheet music online. However, there are only few websites that will allow you to download some of their music for free.

I do not want to disappoint you, but most of the sheet music that you are searching for online are not for free. This is because of the penalties that an individual or company can face for breaking the copyright law. You should also realise that the sheet music that you are able to download for free on the internet are mostly for music students at the beginner’s level.

For me though, I do not see anything wrong with spending 0.99cents up to $2.00 for sheet music that I really need. However, I have created this post so that you will be aware of websites to visit for free sheet music.

Here are two websites that you can visit and find free printable sheet music.

8notes.com

This website has been on the internet since 2001 and has a large collection of sheet music for almost any instrument you can think of. And guess what, you can find several free sheet music that are shared by the members of their website. This website is safe to visit and you have the option of becoming a member which is very easy to do. When you are a member, you have more access to all the resources that they have online. However, you also need to know that not all the music sheets there are for free.

Music-For-Music-Teachers.com

A couple of weeks ago I was browsing online for some sheet music for some of my piano students and I was directed to this website. Music-For-Music-Teachers.com is a resourceful website. They have sheet music for vocals, piano, guitar, recorders and so on. I have downloaded a few of their music without paying a penny. All the music sheets that I have printed from their website are PDF files, so I was able to download them on my computer and print them. I was done in a short time.

I am sure that there are more websites that offers free printable sheet music. If you know about any please let me know so that I can spread the word.

basic guitar chords for beginners

2013-01-04T19:23:00.001-08:00

Today's guitar lessons for beginners!

Hi guys! Today I want to share a video on basic guitar chords for beginners.
Thanks to Beefcakejcc for sharing this video on his channel.

The video is clear for students who are just learning to play basic major and minor chords on the guitar.

Please let me know what you think about this video by leaving your comments below.

Have great time practicing!

Today’s Featured Keyboard Instrument – Roland Jupiter 50

2012-12-25T16:19:00.000-08:00

Today’s Featured Keyboard Instrument – Roland Jupiter 50

by Carlinton Singh

Hi friends, today I want to feature one of the newest keyboard instrument that will catch the attention of many keyboard players in 2013.

It is the Roland Jupiter 50 (the smaller version of the Roland Jupiter 80). For the pass four decades Roland has built a number of electronic keyboards and synthesizers that are loved by many musicians across the world.

Click here to learn more about Roland Products!

Some of Roland’s popular keyboards/synthesizers are as follow;

JUPITER-8

JUNO-60

JUPITER-6

JUNO-106

D-50

JV-80

V-SYNTH

XP-50

XP-80

FANTOM X

FANTOM G

JUNO D

JUNO G

RD 700

JUPITER 80

JUPITER 50

Since the 21^st century, Roland has put out some great electronic keyboards on the market. The Jupiter 80 and Jupiter 50 are among them.

Here is a demo video of the Jupiter 50. It really sounds great and has a lot of features.

Thanks to Sonic-State on YouTube for sharing this video on their channel.

Please remember to leave your comments!

Thank you for visiting!

Trumpet Lessons | Trumpet Fingering Chart for Beginners

2012-12-04T16:28:00.002-08:00

Trumpet Lessons | Trumpet Fingering Chart for Beginners

Today I want to take a shift from my piano lessons and do a brief trumpet lesson.

The trumpet is a brass wind instrument. It is very loud and has a bright tone color. It is played in the treble staff so therefore we can say that its pitch is high. The mouth piece and the valves are the main part of the instrument that is used to change the pitch of each note.

Like many string and woodwind instruments, the seven letters of the musical alphabet are located on the trumpet. As a matter of fact all 12 keys or tones in music can be played on the trumpet at more than one octave.

While the trumpet may be smaller than other brass instruments, it is used to play the lead role within the brass section of a band or ensemble.

Let take a look at the different fingering position for each note on the trumpet. I have provided a trumpet fingering chat for you. Many beginner trumpet players will find this trumpet fingering chart to be useful.

All credits go to Yamaha.com for preparing this accurate trumpet fingering chart for us.

Go to Yamaha.com for more information on musical instruments and software.

Thank you for reading this article.

Please leave your comments!

Today's Music Lesson - The Orchestra

2012-12-03T19:22:00.000-08:00

Music Lesson – The Orchestra by Carlinton Singh

Today I want to share some information on the orchestra.

The orchestra can be described as a large instrumental ensemble with a wide variety of musical instruments. It is made of four families of musical instruments; they are string, woodwind, brass and percussion. The strings are often refers to as the core of the orchestra.

The organization of this unique ensemble can be traced back as far as the 1600s and have developed during the baroque period. During this period there were smaller orchestra groups that range from about 15 to 40 persons. However, as music changes over the centuries, the size has grown immensely. Some time over 100 musicians are used in an orchestra.

Now let us take a look at the different families of instruments that make up the orchestra.

The String Family

The string family is made of string instruments. The strings on these instruments are plucked or bowed in order for them to produce sound. The main string instruments that are used in an orchestra are violins, violas, cellos and double bass.

The Woodwind Family

In this family the instruments are referred to as woodwind because they were traditionally made of wood. These instruments can be described as a long tube with holes on them. The holes are covered by the fingers or by pads that are controlled by our fingers. Some of these instruments carry a small strip of wood on the mouth piece called a reed. Some woodwind instruments are piccolo, flute, clarinet, oboe and bassoon.

The Brass Family

Instruments of the brass family are wind instruments that are loud and bright in tone color. These instruments are mostly used when the music climaxes. The range of pitches created by a brass wind instrument is controlled by the mouth piece, valves and slides. Brass instruments are often referred to as the horn section of the orchestra. Some instruments that make up the brass family are trumpet, cornet, french horn, trombone, euphonium and tuba.

The Percussion Family

Percussion instruments are those that you hit and shake to produce sound. These instruments play a vital role in the orchestra. There are several percussion instruments that are often used in an orchestra. They are xylophone, glockenspiel, timpani, gongs, cymbal, chimes, triangle, bass drum, snare drum, tenor drums among others.

Even though modern instruments are sometimes included in the orchestra, we can all say that it has not lost its flavor. The elements of music are still expressed in modern orchestras.

Do you have more information to share about the orchestra the level it in the comments box. Or.... Simply just leave a comment if you like this article.

Basic Sight Reading Lessons for Piano Players

2012-09-17T20:24:00.001-07:00

A number of persons learning to play the piano are some time turned off from learning because they are having difficulties with sight reading. Some individuals say that they have been trying for months and even years to acquire this skill but they are unable to see success.

Today I want to share some basic information with you that will help to enhance your skill in reading sheet music. However, it would be best to take a look at the phrase “sight reading” first.

Sight reading can be defined as the ability to read and performance a piece of music at the same time.

Many great piano players and composers of the 19^th century, dedicated a lot of time to learn this skill. So if you dedicate some quality time and get a great music teacher to guide you, then you will be able to develop this great skill.

Here are some simple things you can do to improve your skill in reading sheet music. I have used them with my students and they worked.

Learn to identify the keys on your piano with your fingers without looking too much at the keyboard. Use this strategy every day in your practice sessions until you are able to do it accurately.

Now try playing your scales and arpeggio without looking too much on the piano keyboard. Do this as often as possible.

Take some time to study the lines and spaces of the treble and bass staff. Then take any sheet music and touch specific notes and say the letter name of each note. Try doing this as quickly as possible. Use this approached with other sheet music from time to time. (Please do not mark your music sheet when doing this exercise.)

Study other symbols such as key signatures, time signatures, tempo marks, dynamics signs among others.

Tap or clap the rhythmic patterns of the piece so as be familiar with it. Do this for the treble and bass staff. You can use a metronome during this period.

Be confident and work closely with your music teacher during your music sessions. It would be good if you get a music teacher who is willing to be patient with you.

Make sure you outline the objectives to be met for each piano class. Practicing what you have learnt during your music sessions is also very important. But also challenge yourself with materials that you have never played before.

When practicing sight reading by yourself, you will be tempted not to follow the schedule time as planned. But it is very important that you use up all the time you have set for your practice sessions. I am sure that if you keep doing all that was discussed early consistently, you will see some improvement.

Please leave your comments! Share other important tips you have on sight reading.

Guitar Lessons | Basic Chord Chart for Beginners

2012-04-10T21:41:00.002-07:00

Guitar Lessons - Learn how to play major chords on your guitar.

Hi! Today I want to introduce to you some basic guitar chords that you should prepare to practice. I have created a Guitar Chord Chart for you. You can print it or save it to your computer for easy access.

The chord chart below shows the basic representation of all the major chords that can be played on the guitar. As you can see there are only twelve major scales in music and so all the major chords on the chart below are named based on the major scale they are constructed from.

Here is a basic illustration outlining the twelve major scales in music.

Now here is the chord chart with the twelve major chords that you should practice.

I must say that it will not be an easy task practicing all the chords on the guitar chord chart above. So my advice to you is to practice them one chord at a time. Of course your fingers are going to hurt from time to time but if you keep practicing the pain will automatically go away.

Click here to view the first guitar lesson on this blog site!

Please remember to leave your comments!!

Free Piano Lessons for All

2012-04-05T21:14:00.000-07:00

Free Piano Lessons for All

Are you still searching for free piano lessons online? Have you lost confidence in some of the information sites that are dedicated to teach you to play the piano for free?

Well, a number of individuals are still not convinced that they can learn to play the piano up to professional level from the numerous lessons that are offered for free on the internet. I know that there a number of websites that are offering free piano tutorials to individuals who are interested. But I must say that you will have to spend some quality time searching the internet for these websites.

Apart from this blog site, there are a number of sites on the internet with quality information that you can take advantage of. Below is a list of websites that you can go to, but please be prepared to spend some time on these sites. All these sites offer some if not all their lessons for free.

Websites for Beginners

For individuals who are searching for free piano lessons they can go to;

1) www.choose-piano-lessons.com- This website offers quality content for persons who are just learning to play the piano and is designed to teach you the basics in an effective way. This website has a lot of illustrations that will help you understand the information clearer.

2) www.zebrakeys.com – This website has become very popular over the past two years. It offers a number of piano tutorials for free at the beginner and intermediate level. There are a lot of graphic illustrations and videos on this website.

3) www.pianolessons.com – This website has a lot of free piano lessons presented in video formats. You can even sign up for free instant lessons which will be mailed to you on a daily or weekly basis.

What about www.youtube.com? – YouTube is a great resource centre for all individuals searching for free piano lessons online. There are a lot of musicians especially pianist who have created several videos for persons who interested in learning the piano. Some of the lessons are broken down into easy steps so as to create a reasonable pace for individuals who are watching. The beauty about youtube.com is that the videos can be downloaded once you have access to the internet.

Learning to play the piano for free is not a bad idea, and I do not wish to discourage you from wanting to learn without paying any money. However, I have personally discovered that some of the most effective piano lessons online are not for free. You should remember that some of the DVDs and EBooks that are been sold did not just appear over night but a lot of time and effort were invested in them.

Try doing your own investigations and find the most appropriate piano programme that will give some success.

Have a great time practicing on your piano!

Click here to participate in your first piano lesson.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS!

Piano Lessons - Beginners Piano Lessons

2011-11-11T19:57:00.000-08:00

Hi guys, it as been a while since my last post. I must say thanks to those persons who have been following my blog, I am very grateful.

In march 2011, I was searching for some method as to how I can share information about something that love to do. I came across blogger after some moments of research. I must say that I am very passionate about playing music which as been a part of my life since I was a child. Today I am glad that I can share my passion to you.

I have written articles on piano lessons, guitar lessons and music theory. All of these articles were designed to help individuals who are interesting in playing the piano, keyboard or the guitar especially beginners. Today I must say that I am happy that a number of persons have learned something from my blog. And so, I will be writing more articles in the future especially about music.

Since march I have seen some success in using the internet as a tool for teaching music and so I have decided that I will be taking advantage of what the internet has to offer. My friends, I am now designing my first website which dedicated to teach individuals how to play the piano. I have been doing some research and I am dedicated to create a unique piano music information center that will benefit all my followers. I am not able to say when my website will be ready but when it is up you will know.

For persons who are new to my blog and would like to take a quick look at some of the beginners piano lessons that I have published, just click on the the links below.

BEGINNER PIANO LESSONS LINKS:

HOW TO PLAY THE PIANO

BASIC PIANO/KEYBOARD LESSON

LETTER NAME OF THE BLACK KEYS ON THE PIANO/KEYBOARD

PIANO/KEYBOARD LESSON (TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR)

PIANO LESSON - HOW TO PLAY MAJOR SCALES ON THE PIANO

Remember that your comments are very important so please leave them.
Have a great day, and continue to support this blog.

The Benefits of Online Education and How its Changing the Way We Learn

2011-10-29T06:32:00.000-07:00

GUEST POST

Article written by:

Lindsey Wright

In the past, many students in smaller communities were limited to small schools where they would spend most weekdays of their lives until they turned 18 years old. However in the current era high quality educational materials are easier to access than ever through the Internet, no matter whether students are located in a village in Kenya or in the heart of New York City. Furthermore, online education makes the idea of lifelong learning no longer just a pipe-dream, but a very achievable reality.

One of the most easily recognizable limitations of traditional education is the lack of physical space. In traditional brick-and-mortar teachers and students have to be present in the same location at the same time in order for learning to take place. However online learning is already beginning to remove some of these limits by allowing teachers and students to interact virtually, as they do at Virtual Music School; where students play and receive feedback from instructors via Skype.

More generally, online education is changing the way students and teachers interact. Many initially feared that online classes would lead to an environment where students and teachers would have less and less interactions, yet the opposite is actually true. For instance, video conferencing allows for students and teachers to have one-on-one tutoring sessions that are convenient for both parties. Online classrooms also remove some of the more distracting social elements of learning at a brick-and-mortar school, which allows the teacher to focus on teaching instead of managing student behavior.

While much online education is interactive, the Internet also allows people to more freely access non-interactive educational materials, such as books and lectures. For example, many universities, such as Princeton, offer lectures by professors in all fields free of charge on their websites. While viewers do not get college credit for viewing them, these lectures allow anyone with Internet access the chance to be taught by some of the greatest minds of our generation. The Internet also provides teachers with access to educational materials like lesson plans and written works, and allows them to more easily collaborate with each other in order to develop the best curriculum for their students.

Although the means of education may have begun to shift toward the online spectrum, the aim is the same -- to help people learn. For teachers, it makes the educational experience more manageable and creates more opportunities for one-on-one teaching, which is particularly useful for helping struggling students. For students, it makes learning easier to access and allows for continuing education as long as the desire to learn remains. Better yet, online education makes people across all sections of society better able to understand the world and advance in it regardless of the conditions into which they were born.

All credits goes to the author of this article!

PLEASE LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS!

Free Music Theory Lessons: What are key signatures?

2011-10-21T20:42:00.000-07:00

Hi! Thank you for coming to my music lessons blog. Today I want to share some information on "Key Signatures". If you find this article or the entire blog to be of interest to you please feel free to subscribe. You can also share this blog with a friend. Now let's get going with today's article.

Key Signature

Music can be written in major and minor keys. Both major and minor keys are based on particular scales. When a piece of music is composed from a major scale we can say that the music is written in a major key. When the composition of a piece of music is based on a minor scale we can say that the music is in a minor key.

In order for us to know the key of a piece of music we need to look for the key Signature.

What are Key Signatures?

Key signatures are sharp or flat signs that comes after the clef sign on the staff. You should note that the key signature comes after both the treble and bass clef. The number of sharp and flat signs is based on the major scale that is used.

For example – C major scale has no sharp nor flat so therefore there will not be any sharp or flat sign at the beginning of the music nor anywhere else.

Below is a diagram showing what the key of C looks like on a piece of sheet music. The diagram is also accompanied by an illustration of the letters in the C major scale.

Below are diagrams of different key signatures and their scale. Key Signatures are named from the relative scales.

KEY - G MAJOR

The Key Signature for G major is one sharp. The note falling on the F line or space will be called F sharp.

KEY - D MAJOR

The Key Signature for D major is two sharps. All falling on the C and F line or space will be called C sharp and F sharp respectively.

KEY – F MAJOR

The Key of F major is one flat. B will be replaced by B flat.

KEY – B FLAT MAJOR

The Key signature for B flat major is two flats. All B and E note on the staff are change to B flat and E flat respectively.

KEY – E FLAT MAJOR

The Key signature for E flat major is three flats. Natural notes such as B, E and A with be change to flat.

Each sharp and flat in a specific key signature takes control of each line and space that they are located on. In other words the sharps and flats that form the key signature of a particular key changes the name of the lines and spaces they are placed on at the beginning of the staff. Therefore if a sharp is placed on the F line then that line will be called F sharp through-out the entire music. The same thing is been applied is the sharp or flat is placed in a space.

This was a great lesson. Thank you for participating.

Please leave your comments! Your comments are very important.

Copyright (c) October 2011 by Carlinton Singh. All Rights Reserved.

Free Piano Lessons - Learn how to play "lean on me" on the piano

2011-10-21T14:33:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! Today I have created a music sheet teaching you how to play the melody for "Lean On Me" by Bill Withers. This song was one of my favorites when learning started to play the piano. I must say that I have been busy and so I have not posted any piano lessons for a while but I know you will enjoy playing this one.

Use the model of the keyboard below to assist you, if you know the letter name for each key on the keyboard then you don't need it.

Practice the melody for "Lean on me " by Bill Withers using the music sheet below.
You can click on the music sheet for a larger view.

Visit choose-piano-lessons.com for more free lessons!

Thanks you for participating in today's lesson.

Please feel free to leave your comments!!

Learn Guitar Chords - Free Guitar Chord Charts @ Truefire.com

2011-10-15T21:08:00.000-07:00

Learn to play all types of guitar chords at Truefire.com
Click link below to get started.

http://truefire.com/learn-guitar-chords/?gclid=CJy014Ko7KsCFRJW7Aod3BqrLg

(Only at zzounds.com)

Free Online Guitar Lessons at Gibson.com

2011-10-15T20:48:00.000-07:00

For those of you that are searching for some basic guitar lessons that will add a little spice to your style of playing, then you need to check out these lessons presented by Gibson.com.

Here is a quick link to the lesson page.
http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Lessons/?s_kwcid=guitar%20lessons|2991119454

Information can never be too much. So it is good to learn from as much persons as possible. Each individual style of playing is different but you will be a more rounded musician if you make good use of all the information presented by different musicians.

BUY YOUR GUITAR AND OTHER

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AT

About Music Lessons: Chord Techniques on Guitar and Bass

2011-10-15T18:55:00.000-07:00

Hi guys!
For those of you who have just started to play the guitar and want to be an effective guitarist, I would like you to read this article that was posted by Marty B at http://aboutmusiclessons.blogspot.com.
Just Click the link below to view the article. The article gives information on some techniques that should be considered when playing the guitar.

About Music Lessons: Chord Technique on Guitar and Bass

Tell me what you thing about the article by leaving your comments.
have a great day.

Takamine G340SC Dreadnought Cutaway Acoustic Guitar

( Only for $299.00 save $160.00)

Get it now at zzounds.com

The best way to set up a music studio at your home. Home Music Studio Ideas!

2011-10-12T08:49:00.000-07:00

Setting up a small home studio is not hard to do, but you should prepare to spend reasonable amount of money to do so. When you have your own home studio set up you will be able to save some portion of money in the long run. This is because you will not have to spend money on studio hours charged by external studios. You have all the time to do your music projects without looking on the watch. So today I want to share some vital information on how you can set up your own musical studio at home.

Here is a list of all the possible things you might need to setup a reasonable home music studio.

You need a reliable PC (computer). Your computer must perform at high standard to keep up with the number of activities that will be taking place. Your computer should have good memory (2 gigabytes of RAM is good), large hard drive (80 gigs or more), recording device (CD/DVD burners) and a good processor (2GHz or more).

You will need an Audio interface (Sound Card). The one I use is the M-Audio Delta 1010LT 24-Bit 96kHz PCI Card. I bought it at zzounds.com and it is works well but there are other options that you can choose from. The quality of sound in your home studio should be good, remember, you are competing with major studios on the market (Check zzound.com).

You need a good microphone. The options for music studios are condenser microphones. Condenser Microphones are of great quality and are even great for recording acoustic instruments. There are some cheap condenser microphones on the market; you can find them at zzounds.com. The microphone that I am using is the Rode NT1-A Studio Condenser Microphone, it works well.

You need a mixer board. The mixer board that I use is the BEHRINGER EURORACK UB2442FX-PRO but you can check out Mackie and Yamaha for good mixer boards, plus there are lots of digital mixer board on the market.

You will also need studio monitor speakers. The good thing about the market is that there are power monitor speakers available and so you don’t have to buy amplifiers. I use the KRK RP6G2 Rokit G2 Powered 2-Way Active Monitors and again you can get it at zzound.com.

You will need music recording software. This very important. There are lot of multi-track recording softwares available but I have found Protools, Nuendo and Cakewalk Sonar to be the best. This because there are a lot of plug-ins available on the internet for these software and they also worked well with my M-Audio PCI sound card.

Extra accessories – You will need headphones, midi cables, microphone cables and other cables for guitar and synthesizers. All these accessories are available at zzounds.com. You might be wondering why am I promoting zzounds.com so much, but not only am I an affiliate but have several successful purchases on this internet music store and the prices are great.

All home studios should have a synthesizer or a keyboard with good quality sounds. But you should also prepare to make a sound proof area for recording voices. I use dry wall and sponge to create a small sound proof area in my home.

As I said before that you will be spending a reasonable amount of money to setup a good home studio. However, if you are planning to stay a long time in the music industry them you need to invest in all the things mention earlier. You will also save a lot of money in the long run and will be making money from different projects that will become available to you.

GET ALL YOUR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

AND EQUIPMENT

Thanks for reading today's post.

Please feel free to leave your comments!

Learning to play guitar chords

2011-10-10T09:21:00.000-07:00

Hello world! How are you today!

Today I want to share some vital information with you. Today we are going to talk about guitar chords and I will be showing you some basic chords that you can practice on your guitar.

I must say that the guitar is not a walk over and so you will have to dedicate some time for practice. Not everything comes easy in life even though there are some gifted persons who will figure things out on their own and then become a super star.

For those of you who have a guitar parked in some corner at your home, it is time to take up the instrument and give it another try.

Now let’s get down to business!

What is a chord?

Chord as it relates to music is a group notes that are played at the same time. When the group of notes are played simultaneously harmony is created. Chords are formed by choosing specific notes from a major scale.

There are different types of chord in music. Some type of chords are major chord, minor chord, diminish chord, suspended chord among others. But today I will be sharing just a few basic major chords with you.

Why do we use chords in music?

Chords are use to create unique texture in music. When an individual performs a song and a musician plays the guitar in the back ground, harmony is been created. We can say that the chord acts as an accompaniment in the music. So learning chords is very important. Most hymns and popular music such as reggae, jazz and R&B are dominated by chords.

Here are three basic major chords that are easy to practice on your guitar.

The circles shaded in blue are the notes you will hold with your left fingers and unshaped circles are the open notes that you will play along with the notes you hold on the fret board.

Practice to play them in the same order as outline above.

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Learn Music: Musical Element - Musical Form

2011-10-05T08:54:00.000-07:00

Musical Form

Musical form is the way in which the music is organized or structured. Some time when we listen to a piece of music we can identify different sections of the song based on how it is composed. In contemporary music we have verses, chorus and even a bridge in a song. This is a clear description of how a piece of music is structured.

There are three techniques that are commonly used in musical form. They are repetition, contrast and variation.

Repetition allows us to recognize familiar sections of music hence causing us to remember the melodic and harmonic structure of the piece.

Contrast exists when there is a change of mood in the music. A number of factors can cause contrast in the music such as dynamics, tempo, articulation and tonality.

Variation is another aspect to consider when thinking about musical form. Variation is when some features in the music change while others are retained. Some of the things to consider are;

1) The way in which accompaniment is been played compared to the melody of the music.

(For example – One simple description of variation is when the main melodic structure of a song changes but the rhythmic pattern remains.)

2) The pitch of musical instruments might have been change in comparison to the rhythm.

3) The way in which notes are played in comparison to the main notation of the music.

Types of Musical Form

There are two types musical form that I would like to discuss in this article. They are binary and ternary form.

Binary (two-part) Form: A B

In binary form the music has two large sections, part (A) and part (B). Binary or two-part form gives a sense of statement in (A) and counterstatement in (B). However, both sections can have immediate repetition in the music. Therefore this type of form can be written as ABB, AAB or AABB.

Ternary (three-part) Form: A B A

Ternary form is more popular in most musical composition. In ternary or three part form there are three main sections that can be identified. Ternary form can be represented as statement (A), contrast or departure (B) and return (A). The contrast between statement (A) and section (B) can be of any length and any kind. The return (A) section of the form can occur smoothly with a clear expectation or it can be unexpected.

Like binary form, ternary form can be subdivided. Each section can be sub divided as follows;

A (a b a) B (c d c) A (a b a)

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Guitar Scales

2011-09-20T09:18:00.000-07:00

Hi my friends, I hope all is well with you.

For the past months I have been sharing some basic information on guitar scales. To be more specific I have showed illustrations has to how you can play the C major scale, G major scale and the D major scale. Today I want ot continue our lesson on guitar scales. In the near future I will be writing articles about guitar chords and even share information on how to use chord progressions.

I know you might be wondering why would I dedicate my time to blog about music, but I must say that music as been a great part of my life since I was a child. I love music and love to teach it to anyone who loves it.

Today's guitar scale is A major. Here are the notes for A major scale.

A B C# D E F# G# A
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

BELOW ARE ILLUSTRATIONS SHOWING HOW TO PLAY A MAJOR SCALE ON THE GUITAR.

ILLUSTRATION 1

ILLUSTRATION 2

For more guitar lessons go to:

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Thank you for reading, remember to leave comments.

An easy way to record CD at your home.

2011-09-19T08:24:00.000-07:00

Today I was searching for some information on the internet and some how I came to a blog site with information on how to record audio cd in your studio. I've found the article to be very interesting and the information was useful for my students who have been doing basic recordings for the CSEC Music examinations.

After reading the article I have realized that if my students can do their own recordings at their home instead of paying to do it at a studio it would benefit them alot. The information in the article outline the basic things that you need when doing your audio recordings with out spending a lot of money.

HERE IS A LINK TO THE ARTICLE. (CLICK HERE)

After you have read the article I would like you to give it a try. I thing the software used will give you alot of practice if you want to become a producer or studio engineer in the future.

Have a great day!

ELEMENTS OF MUSIC - Musical Texture

2011-09-19T07:08:00.000-07:00

Musical Texture

Musical texture refers to the number of layers that is heard when an individual listens to a musical piece. There are three main types of musical textures in music. They are monophonic texture, polyphonic texture and homophonic texture.

Monophonic Texture – The word “mono” means one or single. Therefore we hear monophonic texture when a person sings alone without accompaniment or background music. So we can say that monophonic texture is heard when a single melodic line is performed without accompaniment. When an individual plays a saxophone or any other wind instrument alone, the single melody played by the instrument can be described as monophonic texture.

Polyphonic Texture – The word “poly” means many. One has to be careful when explaining the term polyphonic texture. Polyphonic texture is produced when more than one melody line is used in a particular musical piece. Remember that a melody is a series of notes that is played one after the other to form the tune of a song. Therefore, when polyphonic texture is been produced there are more than one melody that is present in the musical piece. Sometimes each melody begins at different bar or on different beat of the music and sometime they are performed simultaneously (at the same time). A “round” is an ideal example of what polyphonic texture is. Rounds are great activities that can be used to illustrate polyphonic texture but you can also hear polyphonic texture when more than one person sings two different melody lines at the same time. For example – one person singing the song “Mary had a little lamb” while another sings “London Bridge” at the same time.

Homophonic Texture – Homophonic texture is heard when a main melody is done but is been accompanied by chords played by musical instruments or produced by voices. So when an individual sings a song which is accompanied by the piano or guitar then homophonic texture is formed. Homophonic texture is the most popular of all the different types of texture, especially in modern or contemporary music. Homophonic texture is dominant and is most popular in musical genres such as Reggae, R&B, Souls and Rock. These musical genres have one thing in common; they have lead singers singing melodic lines that are accompanied by a band. It is as simple as that. So homophonic texture is heard everyday in this modern age.

Thank you for reading today’s article, I know you have learnt a lot and it is good to share what you have learnt with others. Please share this information with a friend by sending them to this blog.

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