The trumpet is one of the more difficult instruments to play, so many parents are interested in guiding their child’s experience with brass instruments as early as possible. Without a strong foundation, it’s harder for kids to develop musical proficiency later in their development. Children can start playing the trumpet at around six to ten…
Yes, guitar frets do wear out. In fact, it’s quite common. As a guitarist, you should be able to identify fret damage and determine what options you have for dealing with it. Of course, the obvious question is whether you’ll be able to repair your frets, or if you’ll have to replace them. That’s why…
Children are never too young to become interested in music and playing instruments, but some instruments work best for older students—are saxophones one of them? When is a good age to start learning the saxophone? Saxophones are a larger, weightier instrument making it a better fit for children at least seven but ideally nine to…
An amplifier may just be the most important piece of gear in your guitar rig. However, buying a guitar amp is a process that requires extensive research and firsthand experience to determine how certain amps sound. An informed decision is critical with this purchase. In this article, we will cover some of the most versatile…
The clarinet, as an instrument, is full of body. It has such a resonant, warm, rich, full, beautiful tone. I have great reverence for the instrument because of what it can deliver in just about any musical context. Anyone can pick up and learn to play the clarinet. But only a few will ever master…
The trumpet is an awesome instrument. For me, it has a semi-permanent association with atmospheric jazz and instrumental music, where it really seems to shine (also see below), but that isn’t to say it hasn’t made its way into pop and other genres with great success. As well, it is possible to play just about…
The recorder is a fun and easy instrument to play. For many (like me), it was their first instrument in grade school that served as a great introduction to the broader world of music. Given that it’s a monophonic (one note at a time) instrument, it’s a little limited in what it can do, but…
Playing harmonica with your nose is a fascinating chore to undertake. Normally the breath from your mouth creates the notes and tones, while controlling the breath creates the cadence of the song. How do you play the harmonica with your nose? Playing the harmonica with your nose is a task that takes hours of practice…
If you want to play rock, or even country, you should learn to play the blues. The blues is at the core of these genres, and it will teach you much of what you need to know about song structure, improvising, dynamics, and even how to solo effectively. The skills you learn will translate nicely…
When you begin practicing any brass instrument, you might not be able to make the sounds you want. And not everyone is going to be pleased to listen. If you’re playing in a public space, it can be tricky to play to the room’s feel, especially if there is a strong echo. Luckily, there is…
Many acoustic guitars available on the market today utilize synthetic body components, such as high-pressure laminate (HPL) to provide a level of durability and cut costs. You may ask, what happened to the guitars completely made of solid wood? Fortunately, solid wood acoustic guitars are still being made, and some can be found available for…
If you’re a professional alto saxophonist, chances are you won’t want to turn up to performances with a lower quality sax. But buying an expensive saxophone that doesn’t quite live up to the price point is a real possibility. Because of this, we’ve put together this list of top professional alto saxophones to make things…
If there’s one thing you can do to help your music connect with your audience, it’s to make it seem even more real. That’s exactly what reverb processors were made for. These plugins bring your virtual sound stage to life by providing a feeling of illusionary space to your tracks and channels. In this post,…
If you are considering buying a harmonica, you may already know that there are two common types: diatonic and chromatic. There are pros and cons to each one, so it is important to learn about them before making a purchase. Deciding between a diatonic and chromatic will depend on the type of music being played,…
The fingerstyle technique is not solely limited to the acoustic guitar. In fact, many well-known guitarists have built a career featuring their fingerstyle technique on the electric guitar. This article will provide a list of the best electric guitars available for fingerpicking, whether you’re playing with a hybrid picking style or using a 5-fingered approach.