As a beginner clarinetist, or someone new to music, you may not know whether you’re going to be playing the instrument long term. The only thing you’re sure of right now is that you want to get started. That being the case, rushing to the store and buying the most expensive clarinet doesn’t make a…
If you’re looking for a touch sensitive keyboard, it’s probably because you’re looking for a keyboard that closely emulates the feel of a piano. Or, at the very least, you’d like to be able to play more dynamically. You don’t want your keyboard to produce a sound that’s at the same dynamic, regardless of the…
At first glance, violins and violas look a lot alike. And, to be fair, most stringed instruments bear some resemblance to each other. But the two aren’t the same, and they aren’t necessarily used in the same manner, either, something a music geek would be quick to point out. They are both considered orchestral and…
Sharpening your music theory skills will allow you to understand your favorite songs at a deeper level. It can help you write and compose songs at a higher level too. The key to mastering music theory is keeping the process fun and applying what you learn to your playing. Otherwise, it’s just an intellectual exercise,…
The guitar is a complex and nuanced instrument that responds with exacting specificity to the player’s technique and idiosyncrasies. The six-string guitar is the most popular form, but driven by curiosity and innovation, it continues to evolve. When the guitar was still a newcomer on the block in the 15th century, it may have only…
If you’ve covered the basics of music theory, then you’ve probably heard about the 12-tone Western music scale. Perhaps you’ve also learned that there is something called intervals, which refers to the difference in pitch between two sounds. If you haven’t, don’t worry – you don’t need to understand intervals to understand octaves. Here are…
Every drummer requires hardware. It often ends up being the most substantial and even heaviest part of a drummer’s overall setup. Your needs will likely vary depending on how you want to configure your layout. For many drummers, a drum rack is the simple and logical answer, for cymbals, rack toms and more. In this…
You may have heard the term “timbre” being used in musical conversations. It could have popped up in a method book, magazine or even in a YouTube video. It’s possible it left you scratching your head wondering what it is. That’s because there’s a term that commonly gets used in its place these days, which…
Lighting is a sometimes ignored but nevertheless important part of many types of events and performances. Small bars, pubs, clubs and coffeehouses may have limited lighting or no lighting at all. But if you want to enhance your performances and get your audience up and dancing, you should have quality lighting effects at your disposal….
If you’ve ever heard of the “box pattern” before, there’s a good chance the topic of the conversation was the pentatonic scale. The major scale may be the first scale you learn, but what usually follows on its heels is the minor pentatonic scale. This is because the minor pentatonic scale is easy to learn…
Karaoke is so much fun. In Japan, it’s a favorite late-night pastime. And, it has caught on with the party crowd across the world. But going out night after night can be exhausting and sometimes expensive. Wouldn’t it be fun to bring that same experience to the comfort of your own home and invite your…
In this article we’re going to look at how to use a metronome for beginners. Regardless of what instrument you play – guitar, bass, drums, piano or otherwise – it’s important to develop a good sense of timing and rhythm. After all, music is made up of three elements – melody, harmony and rhythm. There…
Maybe you’re thinking about learning the guitar or bass, but don’t have the money necessary to purchase an instrument just yet. Or, maybe you’ve heard that it’s easier to learn on something smaller like a ukulele, which to some extent, is true. In this guide, we’ll be looking at the best cheap ukuleles, especially for…
Categorization helps us understand the difference between different people, objects, events, locations, situations and more. It’s the same way with instruments. Virtually every instrument you can think of, whether it’s the euphonium or harpsichord, belongs to a specific family of instruments. Some types of instrument include stringed, wind, percussion, woodwind, brass wind, free-reed aerophone and…
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard these words, not just from musicians but other creatives: “I’m not a salesperson.” Most people don’t like selling. It has a lot to do with how we look at selling and how we feel about it, which is usually some combination of pushy, aggressive, pressuring, manipulative…