Online Music Course: September 2009

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

The Violin Musical Instruments That Will Soothe Your Soul

Playing the violin has been one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. Whether it was playing a solo piece or playing in an orchestra, the ability to play a piece composed by Bach, Mozart or Vivaldi and other great composers is one of the greatest accomplishments that a classical musician could wish for.

Although it is not one of those tasks that can be learned overnight (unless you are a musical genius), with practice and dedication you can soon be playing pieces that will light up your soul. One of the reasons why I chose to play the violin was its soothing and melodic sound, one that I feel is like no other.

The second reason why I chose this stringed instrument was for the ability to virtually take it with me anywhere I go. Even when I travel on a plane it's not a problem. It is not like a Cello, bass or a harp which are big, heavy and bulky and you certainly cannot take those instruments with you!

The third reason was the ease of learning. I say "easy" because unlike a piano, guitar or a harp, a violin only has four strings (G, D, A, E) and a bow you must learn to use. Once you learn the four basic strings, then comes learning the finger positions that go on those strings that will make the notes. Next, comes the correct holding position for the bow which will allow you to gently glide across the strings and begin to make music.

Once one learns the basics like how to hold the violin, the correct position of the feet, and how to hold the bow, you can go on to begin making music. One very good place to start to learn the pitch are practicing scales. Yes, they may seem boring at first but they will eventually help the violin player with tuning and correct finger positions (too flat or too sharp).

For the beginning violin player some of the easiest pieces to start with would Twinkle Twinkle Little Star or Mary Had A Little Lamb. Simple pieces like these will help in getting a sense of accomplishment and not one of frustration. If you begin with anything more difficult it will only bring discouragement in trying to learn to play the violin.

Playing the violin not only gives me a sense of accomplishment but has also become somewhat therapeutic. Those moments when I am stressed or have a feeling of frustration I can just take out my violin and it just becomes music for my soul. It has been one of my greatest investments!

Here is how to get further information on violin playing! Learn the basics of violin musical instruments and you too can learn to play today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joanna_Jordan

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Violin Lessons For Beginners - 5 Top Tips

Learning how to play violin can be an exciting adventure leading to eventual mastery. How you start to learn violin , however, is vitally important if you wish to succeed and play violin to a good standard for years to come. Here are some tips to get you started along the path to play violin in a way that will
bring you great satisfaction as you progress in your violin lessons.

Violin Lesson Tip #1

Set yourself goals so your progress can be measured and enjoyed.
These should include short, medium and long-term goals and can be reviewed as you learn how to play violin.
A short term goal might be to perfect how you hold the bow, or to master a short piece.

Violin Lesson Tip #2

Immerse yourself in the world of the violin.
Listen to radio concerts, buy CD's and play them wherever you are ; watch video or TV footage of professional players ; if you get the chance go to see live performers really play violin.
You'll learn how to play violin by studying top exponents as much as through your violin lessons.

Violin Lesson Tip #3

Get to know YOUR violin. They're all different just as we are, and also need looking after to stay in top shape - so develop a little love affair with your new friend.

Violin Lesson Tip #4

One of the hardest violin lessons is that of achieving excellent posture. The fact is that a good posture , once learnt, will be the basis of how well you play and also how much effort you put into merely standing rather than concentrating on how you play violin. Put in the work early on and you'll benefit for life.

Violin Lesson Tip #5

If you want to learn violin to a top standard then your violin lessons surely have to come from a top exponent of how to play. There is so much to learn that cannot be book-learned that a good teacher will provide. Your violin lessons need to be visual , structured to your needs and progress and , of course, convenient for you to
attend. If you've a concert violinist around the corner - fantastic !, although probably very expensive too. If not then you can have a top violinist at your beck and call, 24/7, by using video lessons. These are reviewed on my violin lessons site.

http://violinstore.webs.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marius_Kennedy

Monday, September 28, 2009

Tips to Play Guitar - Increase Your Playing Level and Rival the Competition

You might love to play the guitar, but you're not progressing at the rate that you used to. You can remember learning chords and riffs before, but now things are starting to slow down.

If you think that your skills are going through a dull period, don't worry. Here are some simple and fast tips to play guitar that can get you out of the slump and learning faster again.

1. Own an acoustic and electric guitar. Sometimes the different styles between the acoustic and electric guitars can hold a guitarist back on what they want to learn. For the best results, own each kind of guitar, that way you can hook up to an amp when you have time, and take your instrument elsewhere when you need to practice.

2. Talk to your friends and relatives. Your friends and relatives might have guitar information you didn't even know about, but you'll never find out if you don't ask. Sit down with some of your guitar buddies and trade secrets and tips to play guitar better.

3. Watch professionals in action. How are you going to know how the pros play the guitar if you don't see them in action? Go to shows or watch television specials of your idols to see what their favorite licks are and how they're executed.

4. Watch some online videos. There's so much information about tutorials and tips to play guitar for free on the internet that so many guitarists overlook it and get discouraged. Do some quick research on a search engine and you'll discover tons of valuable guitar information that can speed up your progress quickly.

5. Have a jam session with some other guitarists. If you like the style of some of the other local artists in your area, maybe you should invite them over for a little jam session. You can watch their tricks, trade some of your own, and if you're lucky you might have a small band starting in your living room.

It might really be discouraging when you're just not progressing like you used to when you first started playing the guitar, but you can't let that hold you back. Try out some of these tips to play guitar for yourself, and learn at least one new thing for the guitar each day.

Kyle Hoffman has performed in a number of successful musical acts as an experienced guitarist with enthusiasm in the rock and metal genres. To learn his effective tips on learning fast electric guitar for FREE, visit his popular guitar blog, How To Guitar Tune!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kyle_Hoffman

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Learning to Play the Guitar? Read This First!

Learning to play guitar? Consider online guitar lessons.

Remember the old pre-web days? You used the phonebook to look up a friend or a business, TV guide to see what was on the box, record stores to buy your albums.

Now these things, for the most of us, are done online. And of course it works a lot faster, more convenient and down right better. Maybe some other things should be done this way too? Like learning the guitar for example.

The old way vs. The new way of learning the guitar

The old way: Look up local guitar teacher, either through your local music store or the phonebook. Call them and sign up for lessons, hope they're good, and do as they say. Pay them by the lesson. if you were in luck you're local teacher was great and you learned a lot, and if not, well, it's kind of hard to tell when you don't have that much to compare with right? Basically, you were stuck with the guitar teacher that happenend to be around

The new way: Sign up for free guitar lesson online, have access to the materials, audio, video and print, in the comfort of your own home, play the lesson over and over again, if the teacher's good, you stick with them, if not, try another free guitar lesson before deciding on learning from any particular teacher.

It's like having the teacher move in with you, accessible when you want to learn, and the ability to kindly ask them to leave (or kick them out!) when you decide to move on.

So, do you go with the old way or the new way?

For some advice on online guitar teachers that let you sample their stuff for free, check out http://www.onlineguitarguide.com

'til next time, EmKei

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Em_Kei

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Guitar Motivation - Easy Tips to Get Back on Track With Your Guitar-Playing

Have you come to a point in your guitar-based hobby where you can't get motivated to play? The thought of pulling out the guitar and going through songs just seems like too much to organize. Well, you might be caught in a slump, but that doesn't mean that you can't kick yourself out of it. Here are some very simple strategies to jump start your guitar practices and get yourself some guitar motivation.

1. Have confidence in yourself. A lot of the problem to not wanting to pick up your guitar is because you might be beginning to feel like you can't play. Tell yourself that by doing a little bit at a time, you can eventually become a guitar-playing machine.

2. Schedule time to practice. If you don't make a conscious effort to interrupt the normal layout of the day to fit in some guitar practice time, you might never get your guitar motivation back. Plan out, in your mind or on paper, when and for how long you can spare time to practice the guitar. Even ten or fifteen minutes can get you into the groove again.

3. Find a quiet space to practice. It's pretty unbearable to practice the guitar where there are all sorts of noise and distractions to keep it from being enjoyable. Find somewhere that you know is to yourself for a half hour at least and just jam.

4. Practice what you want. Maybe you didn't want to play again because the thought of another scale or practice riff just sounded terrible to you. Then don't play them! If you sit down to your next guitar practice knowing that you can play whatever you want, you're almost guaranteed to get your motivation back.

5. Reward yourself when it's over. Another thing that guitarists miss out on is a little reward to themselves for completing their agenda. It can be small like buying an ice cream cone or going to the movies, but the purpose is to let yourself know that you did a good job.

Gaining that old guitar motivation again can be a bit tough if you've been forced to practice on things you didn't want or more than you wanted. The next time you sit down with the guitar, make a pact that you're going to play on your own terms.

Kyle Hoffman is an established guitarist with years of experience in a number of successful bands. Read his valuable FREE report on what to look for in a fast electric guitar course at his popular guitar blog, How To Guitar Tune.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kyle_Hoffman

Thursday, September 24, 2009

How Long Does it Take to Learn to Play the Guitar? The Real Guitar Lesson Milestone

Even before deciding to learn your first chord, it's natural to want to ask how long does it take to learn the play the guitar. But, how do you interpret an answer when somebody with zero talent classes themselves as being able to play, meanwhile someone else might be great in comparison, but lack the confidence to admit they're good.

Learning The Guitar : Finding The Real Milestone

Lots of people give up playing guitar soon after starting because they don't enjoy being worse than amateur and think it's too much like hard work to get any better. However, it's not usually anything to do with 'you' because it's rare to find someone that would never be able to play guitar properly. It's down to how much your guitar lessons are on your wavelength and make you want to do it. I wouldn't like to learn rock guitar from a geek that probably liked every band I hated, it just wouldn't inspire me. I'd want to learn from a rock guitarist so I could learn to emulate him. If your books or your online guitar lessons are too boring, too technical or just failing to the get results you know you can achieve, you begin to think you can't do it, but you can. In other words, if you like the Foo Fighters and Dave Grohl was sending you online guitar lessons personally, you'd probably learn how to play the guitar in record speed.

It's tempting to be put off by what you don't yet know or can't do. I've played the guitar for 25 years and I still don't know everything, but this doesn't stop you from joining bands and everyone around you being a little bit jealous they can't grab an electric guitar and do what you can do.

Don't get caught up with thinking 'How long does it take to learn to play the guitar' if you're not enjoying your lessons because that can lead onto impatience and quitting. It's much better to find someone cool to learn from, that way, you'll enjoy the progress and then one day you'll realize:

...hey, I'm actually getting quite good at this...

That's the real guitar lesson milestone.

If you need to hear great noises coming from your guitar and don't want to wait any longer, don't spread yourself thinly over a load of different resources. You be much better treating something like a guitar crash course and absolutely nailing every section of it.

People that go back to the drawing board when things aren't going well usually overtake themselves in no time and that momentum just carries on. Most people don't do this and get information overload, suffer a guitar meltdown and end up mastering nothing, soon to be overtaken by absolute beginners.

Get in the mood for going to rock school, enjoy it and there might be a surprise for you along the way, visit http://www.GuitarCrash.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_Calderbank

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Singing - The Seven Reasons Why it is Good For Your Health

1. Diaphragm breathing is beneficial to your body. In today's computer focused society, most of us just don't get the air that we need to be as energetic, as full of life, as is natural for maintaining a healthy body. We are a race of shallow breathers! And yet -- breath is life!

Most students find that after only one or two lessons, they are experiencing a greater sense of well-being. And that is even before getting to the singing, singing your music, which is the fun part!

2. It develops a keener focus. What is crucial here is finding yourself a good teacher and then really listening to what your teacher says. Then, after applying yourself totally, you will find yourself developing a keener and keener focus! And that's all genius is, after all -- "pure focus".

A keen focus is a most valuable asset, all the way from personal relationships to board meetings. And you will find that all highly successful people have a keen, very well developed sense of focus.

3. It challenges you. In midlife, we often become stagnant. We consider ourselves finished with learning, maybe comfortable, maybe secure, but deep inside somewhere we are wondering where the excitement is -- wondering where the spark has gone; where the fun is.

Challenges wake you up. They get your juices flowing. You will find that nothing quite matches the thrill of singing your music your way. You will also find that along the way, you have become more interested in life and have also become a more interesting individual.

4. It is crucial to self expression. Singing is an outlet for that all important self expression. Most often, in our jobs there is just no avenue to adequately express ourselves and so we are left feeling empty and frustrated.

Expressing ourselves in our own unique way is a vital need for each one of us. And besides, you may just find yourself pleasantly surprised with the voice that you uncover, when you learn to sing your music and you do it your way.

5. It is a confidence booster. Singing is an extremely personal thing. You yourself are the instrument. There is no hiding what you are feeling inside. As you learn to sing, you will find yourself stretching and growing in many wonderful ways.

So, once you have made it to a level of some skill and ease in your singing, you will find that you have developed a degree of confidence. If you are a shy person, boosting your confidence is a most wonderful gift to give yourself, enabling you to be a calmer, more relaxed individual.

6. It is a fantastic release. Singing is a great way to deal with all that stress that life has a habit of throwing at us. That is, after all, how and why the blues were born; and why they are still so popular today.

Expressing your music and venting your emotions, creates a release that is most beneficial to your body. You let go of all that harmful tension that can build up and do damage.

7. It improves your hearing. By developing your "listening skills" you may just discover that you are actually hearing better; hearing more than you used to, regardless of your age. Really using your ears is good for them and can improve their functioning.

Most students with pitch problems find that it's always the same old reason; not really listening. Once they learn to begin to develop their listening skills, they find everything starts turning around for them as they really begin singing.

So there you have it. Whether you are painfully shy or just oozing with confidence you will find that learning to sing your music and most importantly, singing it your way, will add quality to your life. It's well worth the effort. Well worth the challenge. And in the end, you may just find that your music is something valuable to share.

Gail Karen (G.K.) Eckert is a vocalist, musician, songwriter and teacher. She founded Musikhaus Studio of Creativity in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada in 1987 and continues to guide students through the crucial steps of learning to sing. She believes that anyone can learn to sing, given the proper guidance and encouragement. She also believes that singing your music your way is not only a fun past time but is also crucial to self expression and well being. Visit her site and try her free "Improve your Breathing" course.

http://www.YourMusicYourWay.com
gk@YourMusicYourWay.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=GK_Eckert

Learn to Hear Chords - Play Music by Ear

Chords are combinations of three or more notes that perform a particular function within a key. Depending on the intervals between the notes, chords can take on a wide variety of characteristics. Even chords limited to just three chords can be major triads, minor triads, diminished or augmented triads. On a given instrument there will be different ways of playing the same set of notes, which are known as chord inversions.

Different chord extensions each play a particular role and have a characteristic sound or "color." Complex extended chords, like seventh chords with an augmented eleventh, for example, sound different from other varieties even to casual listeners, but it takes a certain amount of aural skill to be able to readily identify such sounds.

That being said, it's important that musicians possess the skill to hear and identify chords accurately. Harmony plays a significant role in most tonal music. Chord progressions form the spine of most popular and jazz pieces. In order to do things such as playing these pieces by ear or transcribing them, musicians need to know what the chords are simply by hearing them.

Furthermore, a thorough understanding of chords and how they function will help musicians in creating their own compositions. By listening to even familiar pieces with this skill, students can get a feel for how composers employ different types of chords and how the harmony and melody interact.

Though it may seem difficult to beginners, the truth is that anyone can learn to hear chords the way professional musicians do. The key to identifying chords is the understanding of the intervals between notes. Chords are, after all, built on these intervals; it's the intervals between the three notes in a triad that determine whether they are major or minor chords, and the intervals between the root notes and added or extended notes that determine the specialized character of chords.

The ability to identify intervals is gained through ear training, a process with which most professional musicians have a lot of experience. Ear training allows students to become intimately familiar with intervals through simple listening exercises, and once they have that command over intervals, they can easily use it to assess and classify chords as they hear them.

So, knowing how useful it is for a musician to be in control of chords and their varied uses, it's clear that ear training, through which they can take that control in addition to many other benefits, is worth considering.

Want to know more ear training exercises? Check Out Relative Pitch SuperCourse Review Here.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Gian

Learn How to Play the Bass Guitar

Guitars have been a part of the music scene for a long time. The ancestry of the guitar actually goes back about four thousand years. The electric guitar was introduced in the 1930s, and the electric bass guitar had its debut in the 1950s. That pretty much makes the electric bass guitar one of the newer kids on the block.

The role of the bass has changed since its inception back in the 1950s. The bass guitar was introduced to replace the "double bass" or "upright bass" as the bass instrument in the rhythm section of the bands of that era. Its place in modern bands is no longer just a supporting role. Today's bass player must be able to play in time, outline the harmony and lay down a beat.

Maybe you are an experienced lead guitarist looking to make a transition, or perhaps you are a total beginner who just loves the sound of the bass. Being a bass guitarist is very demanding and also very rewarding. If you realize this, now is the time to learn how to play the bass guitar.

If you want to learn how to play the bass guitar online, there are two ways that you can go. You can look around for free courses, or you can decide on buying a reasonably priced program. Unfortunately with free courses, you usually get what you pay for.

Jamorama, is an online course that is perfect for someone that wants to learn how to play the bass guitar. The course is a comprehensive all-in-one program that can take anyone from the total beginner level to being an advanced guitarist.

Also offered is an introductory six part guitar course as a free trial that is perfect for all students regardless of their ability, You just click on your skill level and download it instantly. If the free trial is not enough of an incentive, you can also take advantage of the 60 day complete 100% refund if you decide for any reason that the course is not for you. That gives you over eight weeks to test drive the program.

This course will teach you everything you need to know to learn how to play the bass guitar, So, if you really want to save money, learn how to play in a band, and do it quickly, visit my website and take a closer look. You will be glad that you did.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thord_Hall

Acoustic Guitar For Beginners - Selecting the Right Guitar

So many people who are beginning the acoustic guitar have asked me the question, "Which is the right guitar for a beginner?" The funny thing is, there isn't really a right answer. However, there are a couple of ways to address this question.

The first thing to ask yourself is, "Am I serious about this?". Another question is, "How much time am I going to give to this hobby?". Does the amount of time you will dedicate to this hobby reflect on the amount of investment you are willing to make? For example, there's no point spending $500 on a Gibson Semi-acoustic if you are only going to play for a couple of hours a week. Obviously, on the other side of the coin you don't want to buy some cheap little plank of wood with the strings nailed on either!

If you are learning the acoustic guitar with the intention of joining a band later on, then I would consider speaking to a guy in the music shop. The guitar you buy will reflect heavily on the style you wish to get involved with. If you want to learn and play country, then I would consider going for a 6-string steel guitar, or maybe even a resonator. If you want to play jazz, then there are guitars out there made specifically for jazz. But remember, if you buy a certain type of guitar, made for a certain genre of music, then you are limiting your options. Jazz just doesn't really cut it on a Spanish Flamenco guitar!

So, now that you've decided on your genre, it's time to actually go and buy a guitar. I can only speak from personal experience here, but the first thing I test is the weight of the guitar. Is it too heavy? Am I going to be walking around on stage with it? Will it get tiring after standing up playing for two hours? If the guitar is heavy then the chances are that its a guitar made for playing sitting down.

The next thing to look at is how much room you have between the strings. If you play one note, is your finger even slightly touching another string? There are ways around this, but to begin with, it's best to make sure you have lots of room available. There's nothing worse than accidentally muting another string that should actually be played as part of a sequence or chord. Generally speaking, people with big fingers will always have issues playing the guitar, but good discipline and plenty of warm up exercises will help with this problem in the long run. It can also be an advantage when you want to play Barre chords.

Next, check the tone. Get the guy in the shop to play something for you. Most guitar shop attendants love the chance to show off their stuff to you! Ask him to play something in the genre you want to study, then decide if that's the sound you want. Does it sound nice to you? Does it have enough chorus? Also listen closely for even a slight buzzing noise (fret-buzz). If you hear that while the guy is playing for you, then stay away from that particular guitar, because it probably hasn't been set up properly at the factory.

So to summarize, the key points I consider when buying a guitar are the weight, the price, the investment of money balanced against the investment of time, the genre I want to play, the amount of room on the fretboard, and fret-buzz (if it's there, seriously run away!). Some people think the look of the guitar is important. This is ok, but whats the point of having a beautiful Cherry Red semi-acoustic if it sounds like a broken harp?

So, I hope this helped you, and good luck buying your new guitar!

Joe R Foster: Playing guitar for 20 years and still learning and loving it!

http://acoustic-guitar-for-beginners.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_R_Foster

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Wednesday, September 30, 2009

The Violin Musical Instruments That Will Soothe Your Soul

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Violin Lessons For Beginners - 5 Top Tips

Monday, September 28, 2009

Tips to Play Guitar - Increase Your Playing Level and Rival the Competition

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Learning to Play the Guitar? Read This First!

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Guitar Motivation - Easy Tips to Get Back on Track With Your Guitar-Playing

Thursday, September 24, 2009

How Long Does it Take to Learn to Play the Guitar? The Real Guitar Lesson Milestone

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Singing - The Seven Reasons Why it is Good For Your Health

Learn to Hear Chords - Play Music by Ear

Learn How to Play the Bass Guitar

Acoustic Guitar For Beginners - Selecting the Right Guitar

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