With so many reports and stats coming at you, sometimes it’s hard to know which to trust. It can even be a challenge trying to decode and interpret them. Music industry executives might be happy about the influx of money they’re seeing right now, but for the average musician, not much has changed, which is…
So, you’re thinking about learning the keyboard. Whatever skills you learn on a keyboard tend to be highly transferable, since the same basic concepts apply to piano, organ, harpsicord, accordion and many other instruments. Of course, you would need to learn additional techniques, but the concepts of music theory and keyboard layout translate nicely to…
TV channels like MTV used to have music videos on high rotation and even had entire niche programs based around the various genres of videos that were out there. While these programs are few and far between in mainstream media now, music videos still play an important part in bringing artists to market. Some would…
There are plenty of good reasons to fill your mic locker with mics that cost less than $500. One, your budget might be limited. In an ideal world, you’d spend more on something like a Neumann mic, but it’s just not realistic right now. Two, these days, mics in this price range are still reasonably…
Every drummer needs a drum throne, but different drummers have different needs. Some are bigger. Some are smaller. Some are looking for comfort, while others are looking for more padding. It might seem vain to think about, but it’s not – drummers are responsible for holding a band together rhythmically. So, if they aren’t comfortable…
Ok, so let’s look at some of my favorite piano facts! Do you enjoy playing the piano? Do you play another instrument? Maybe you don’t even play music. No matter your experience level, you’ll be interested to know that the piano is a multifaceted instrument with many interesting facts connected to it. Some of the…
Is your child beginning to express interest in music? Do you think they might be the next Beethoven? Perhaps it’s time to buy them an instrument. A full-sized instrument is probably too much for a toddler, and cost wise, it can end up being a bigger commitment for you as a parent. Fortunately, there are…
How tough is it to make a living in music, exactly? The correct answer is “it depends.” It depends on your strategy, your execution/work ethic and your mindset. These are the three variables you have control over – everything else is a moving target. Interestingly, getting a handle on what you can control – and…
With so many options out there, how exactly do you choose the right cymbals? One thing we know for sure is that drummers need cymbals, and some are even in search of the “ultimate” cymbals that offer the rich, warm and cutting tone they desire. Here’s the good news – in this guide, we’ve slotted…
Xylophones, glockenspiels, marimbas, vibraphones, xylorimbas and marimbaphones are basically all considered members of the percussion family of instruments. So, what exactly is the difference? Why is there a need for so many instruments that serve the same basic function? In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at each of these percussion instruments. What Is…
Your extensive compact guitar pedal collection is all for naught if you can’t order and hook them up how you want them (preferably on a quality pedalboard). To hook them up, of course, you’re going to need some patch cables. Shorter cables are par for the course, and you’re also going to need at least…
Although there are some situations in which you don’t need to know what key a song is in, there are many others in which it’s beneficial and even critical to know. If you’ve been called upon to improvise on stage, for instance, and you don’t know what key the song is in (and no one…
Maybe you play in a marching band. Perhaps you are regularly called upon to perform in jazz groups. You could even be an absolute beginner trumpeter. If so, a full-sized trumpet may not be what you’re looking for. Fortunately, there are alternatives. There is a bit of a market for pocket trumpets, which come with…
Interested in becoming a DJ? Want to light up a party and get people up and dancing? Or, would you like to start playing around with your gear at home? In that case, you’re going to require the right gear and it all starts with a DJ controller. As a beginner, you’re likely looking for…
Every guitarist should learn how to restring their acoustic guitar. The first time you break a string, it can come as a bit of a shock. People don’t necessarily tell you that breaking a string is an inevitability, so when it happens, you might even assume the guitar itself is broken (but it’s not). The…