How to Read Piano Notes
By: Duane Shinn

Reading piano notes may seem daunting at first, but it really isn't if you ground yourself in the basics. The first step is learning the names of the notes. The great thing is that you only have seven to memorize. All music is the result of combinations of these seven. These notes, named after letters in the alphabet, are A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Specific keys on the piano, associated with these notes, comprise your piano playing toolkit. These seven notes sit on lines and spaces, called a music staff. Piano music consists of two staffs or staves: the Treble Clef and the Bass Clef. The notes from the upper portion of the piano keyboard sit on the Treble Clef. The notes from the lower portion of the keyboard sit on the Bass Clef. Usually, the right hand plays the notes in the Treble Clef, while the left hand plays notes in the Bass Clef. The key to reading piano notes is in knowing what key relates to what note on the sheet music. The note A on a piano is a white key. The A on the music staff corresponds to where the A note is on the keyboard. The notes on a keyboard repeat themselves: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A Each of these notes is a key on the piano. It's that simple, all along the keyboard. The first A sits on one point of the music staff. As you play along the keyboard, the second A you play sits further up the music staff. As your fingers run up to the upper portions of the keyboard, the higher the notes sit on the Treble Clef. The further down you play on the piano keyboard, the further down the notes sit on the music staff, running into the Bass Clef. You can group notes together on a music staff vertically. These vertical grouping are chords. A chord is a group of three or more notes played simultaneously. If you play the C, E and G keys at the same time on the keyboard, you play a chord known as a triad. On a piece of sheet music, you will see these three notes as such: G E C ...piled on top of one another so-to-speak. If the composer wants these notes played separately, he would write them out horizontally on the music staff as such: C E G ...moves along the music staff. Of course, these letters do not appear on the music staff; instead oval notes replace the letters. When you first begin to read piano sheet music, locate the reference point note of each staff. This allows you to determine the rest of the notes on the staff. The Treble Clef has the G note as its reference point. This note is on the second line from the bottom of the five line Treble Clef staff. The Bass Clef has the F notes as its reference point. This note is on the second line from the top of the five line Bass Clef staff. Every other note on either staff is easily located from these points. Reading piano notes will be easier when you study the fundamentals. Learn the Treble and Bass Clefs and where the seven notes sit on them, and your reading skills will improve.

How Can I Learn To Understand Music & Piano Playing?
By: Duane Shinn

The graceful flourishes of a well-played piano masterpiece are sounds that many people would love to create. From trained professionals to child prodigies, a brilliantly played piano can steal the show. But great lessons are costly and involve scheduling time away from your busy life. So how do you learn how to play the piano or deepen your knowledge of the instrument? Piano workbooks can provide a solid foundation in theory, an effective practice routine, and piano classics in one package. If you don't have the time or money for lessons, consider buying a few piano workbooks. The obvious advantages of piano workbooks are the ability to set your own pace and practice at your convenience. Just sit down at the bench after dinner, crack open the book, and hear your playing improve. The only downside is that you must develop self-motivation to flourish when studying from piano workbooks. Like any great discipline, you must develop some kind of regimen to progress. With a teacher, you'll always have someone keeping track of how well you're doing. By studying from a workbook, you'll have to keep an eye on your own progress. Piano workbooks range from those that focus on the basics to those that provide a comprehensive explanation of musical theory. The best offer a good amount of theory, exercise and musical notation. Whatever type of study you are seeking, there are certainly several piano workbooks available that suit your needs. Some piano workbooks may be a look and listen experience. They may come with CDs that let you hear the examples listed in the book. This is great for the unsure learner who may need more than just text to explain a concept. It's also wonderful for hearing how an exercise is supposed to be played or how a particular piece is intended to sound. Many books give examples of practice methods. Be sure to follow their instructions so that you don't overexert your hand muscles, especially if you are a beginner or trying advanced techniques. Warm-up your hands with simple and light playing for a little while before going into an extended run across the keyboard. Workbooks also contain essential piano pieces that combine theory and technique into music. The pieces provided range from simple pop songs to classical standards that will put your skills to the test. Piano workbooks often include biographical information on the composers of each piece so that you can learn the history of the instrument. Besides simply playing, a deep understanding of the piano and pieces composed for it provides an appreciation for musical history. Piano workbooks can offer an extensive training course to anyone willing to invest the time. Since they're often compiled by a company, they contain more information than any one person can offer. Though a book can't make you practice, they can be a benefit to dedicated students. So when you decide to fancy yourself a pianist and set out to master the works of Franz Liszt, consider the tutelage that piano workbooks can offer.

6 Tips For Better Guitar Playing
By: John Philip

In this article I hope to demonstrate a few tips that will, with any luck, put you on the correct approach to developing into a proficient guitar player. If you can take into account that to play well involves a lot of practice and dedication then these tips will give you a head start. It takes arduous work and perseverance to the learn guitar and there is no fast and easy way, but some procedures are much more adept than others, resulting in quicker advancement. The main chief tip, though, is no matter what you do don't admit defeatSet Aside Your Own SpaceDistractions can play havoc with your concentration and focus, making any practise session worthless. Learning to play the guitar is hard enough so make it easier by finding a space where you can be alone without any outside noise or interruptions.EquipmentEnsuring that your guitar is tuned correctly is paramount at the beginning of any practise session. Preparation is essential to good guitar playing and it is imperative to make certain that your instrument is in good condition Understand Your InstrumentSurprising, as it might seem, not all guitars are the same, every one has a different tone and sound. Learn to know and understand your guitar, what every part is called and its different function. Appreciate your instrument and, although it’s an inanimate object, learn to respect and care for it. Even though you might not appreciate it now it will make you a better and more experienced guitar player.Recognise Your Level Of Expertise Frustration can soon set in when, after a few weeks of practising and learning, you cant play the same tunes as Eric Clapton or Jimmy Page or any of your other guitar heroes. Realism has to kick in somewhere and the sooner the better. Learning to play the guitar is not an overnight thing. It takes time. Start with sensible goals, leave the advanced playing until later and progression will come with a growth in confidence. Show persistence at this point and you will reap the benefits later and it will be even more rewarding.Pick Your StyleBeing able to play a piece of music made famous by one of your favorite guitarists is an unbeatable sensation. When, and only when, you have completed the fundamentals and you are set to move on to something harder it’s time pick a style of music you like and can identify with. Most songs are generally accessible as sheet music from a variety of sources and it’s another level in your education. This is an exhilarating stage in your progress. Set GoalsOne of the best ways to focus you concentration on you progress is to set mini targets. Pick a time period for when you are going to play your first song in front of family and friends and let them know about it. This helps give a reason for your practise sessions and certainly grabs your attention the closer to the date of your debut performance. Once you have performed and enjoyed being in the spotlight it will give you a boost in confidence. It’s no surprise, but your playing will improve after. Keep in mind, learning to play the guitar is a continual progression, but should always be fun, and if you continue to advance consistently there is no knowing how talented you can grow to be. With any luck, these tips will prove useful and you will have many years of playing satisfaction.

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Learn more about playing the guitar or any instrument of your choice at www.learn-and-play.info a popular website full of tips and advice.

Playing Bass Guitar Solos

By: Ricky Sharples

In 1965 British rock group, The Who released a song called My Generation. Apart from its claim to fame as a rock anthem it also contains the most instantly recognizable bass guitar solo in rock and roll. This iconic solo by John Entwistle is typical of the bass solo modeled on similar solo breaks played on double bass and bass guitar in jazz music. This type of bass guitar solo is in the form of a question and answer sequence often found in blues music. The Who's solo also imitates jazz bass solos in that it is played without other instruments behind it. In jazz such solos are played unaccompanied because other instruments tend to drown out the bass.There have been many bass solos included in rock, funk and jazz but only in pop music has the bass guitar solo stood alone as a piece of music. The first pop musician in England to own and play an electric bass guitar was Jet Harris. He found fame and fortune with The Shadows, Cliff Richard's backing group who were trying to make their own way in pop music as a vocal and instrumental group. Harris played on the band's early instrumental hits featuring the lead guitar of Hank Marvin but decided to try to make it as a soloist like America's Duane Eddy. Jet Harris' first big hit as a solo guitarist was in 1962 with his rendition of the 1940 song Besame Mucho. The throbbing notes of the six string bass turned a poignant love song into an instrumental work full of menace. Probably inspired by their former band member's success, The Shadows released another six string bass solo called Stingray as a single in 1965.Meanwhile in America in 1963 a young composer and arranger named Jack Nitzsche made a lush orchestral single called The Lonely Surfer. The orchestra was merely the backdrop for a simple melody played on the bass guitar. The Lonely Surfer never climbed higher than number thirty-nine on the charts, but that is pretty good for a bass guitar solo! These days the bass guitar is an important part of any band. It was actually born in the nineteen thirties but met with very little success until it was adopted by the early rock and roll groups of the nineteen fifties. The bass guitar is of course descended from the double bass which has always been a solo instrument in orchestral music and was often used for solo work in jazz.If you want to play bass guitar, you might want to consider learning to play a regular guitar first. It is not absolutely necessary to become a lead or rhythm guitarist before playing bass but it seems to be the way that bass guitar players come into the world. To begin your career as a bass guitarist you can try playing through the bass tabs available on the internet. There are also some lessons available for free plus you can view heaps of bass solos and bass guitar lessons on the various video sites.Once you have some practice on the bass guitar under your belt there is blinding variety of bass guitar techniques to try before you begin seriously to play solos. You can employ a wide range of plectrums or choose from the many techniques which involve plucking, popping and slapping the bass with the fingers. To some people this might sound like hard work but hopefully you will regard it as a labor of love.

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Ricky Sharples has many more tips for guitar players of all levels at his blog Learn How To Play A Guitar For Free, a continuously updated directory of free guitar lessons, videos, chord charts and lots of useful guitar stuff.I highly recommend visiting here for more info about Music

Tips For The Beginner On Acoustic Guitar
By: Ricky Sharples

The acoustic guitar is the most well-liked instrument for beginner musicians. It is simple to cart around, you can practice on it any time, and it has a very agreeable sound. The acoustic guitar also is something of an unknown quantity for anyone just starting to learn to play, so in this article I would like to come to grips with issues such as the best acoustic guitar to buy for the beginner, what to expect when you take lessons and whether or not you will need to learn to read music. If you are just starting as a guitar player, and you need some guidance, keep reading.First you will require a guitar. An acoustic guitar for a beginner is often difficult to find. The best guitar is not too dear but painless to play. With the number of low cost, poor quality acoustic guitars being made recently you will perhaps need someone you have faith in to assist you to decide on your first guitar. If you do not know anybody to assist you choose a guitar, then it would be best to launch into your search based on brand names. There are some acoustic guitars in the average price range that are favorably recommended by veteran guitar players:The Ibanez AC30NT is a nicely-built guitar with an exceptionally agreeable tone.If you go to your local guitar dealer you might be able to hook up with a Fender beginner's package containing the low priced but serviceable Fender DG-8S.Another cheap beginner's guitar with an excellent brand name is the Epiphone DR-100.Takamine is another label to ponder with some fully reasonable guitars in their range. If you are constrained by your finances the Takamine G-340 is a good selection.For a grand looking, great sounding guitar, seek no further than the Seagull S6 but it is a little more pricey than the others.If you find yourself looking round for a secondhand guitar, look for the brand names I have mentioned.Your first acoustic guitar lessons will doubtless be taken up with the basics of stringing and tuning your guitar. You might want to learn some guitar music theory to assist you to understand what you are doing when you begin to play scales and chords.When you are all set up with your acoustic guitar and you have found a teacher or online lessons, you will be looking around for songs that you, as a beginner, might dream of playing. Just center your pursuit on the kind of songs you enjoy. You should find easy versions of your favorite songs that will make use of simple chords that you will still be using as you grow into a guitarist. The easiest songs will be using open chords which will only use two or three of your left hand fingers. You will be strumming or plucking all six strings, but some of the strings will be "open", that is, not fingered. If you are wondering whether to learn to read music or just tabs you will find that guitar tabs are the easiest way to go. A few minutes of reading will give you the basic idea behind tablature, and an online search will clear up any rough spots in your comprehension.You will find that starting out as a beginner acoustic guitar player will not be as difficult as you first imagined, but

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Ricky Sharples has many more tips for guitar players of all levels at his blog Learn How To Play A Guitar For Free, a continuously updated directory of free guitar lessons, videos, chord charts and lots of useful guitar stuff.I highly recommend visiting here for more info about acoustic guitar

The 9 Basic Guitar Chords That Every Guitar Player Should Know

The 9 Basic Guitar Chords That Every Guitar Player Should Know
By: Jonathan Dykerman

There are 9 basic guitar chords which beginner guitarists first learn and that all guitar players should know. These guitar chords are also called open position chords because they are played in open position, or in other words, played down by the nut of the guitar utilizing open strings.These 9 basic guitar chords are so essential that every guitar player should know how to play them, and most do. With these 9 basic guitar chords alone, you will be able to play most if not all the songs you want to learn! When jamming, you will see other guitar players use these exact same chords all the time. Imagine, you as a beginner guitar player hanging with guitarists who have been playing for years. That’s how important these 9 guitar chords are!The 9 Basic Guitar ChordsThe C major chord - Place your 3rd finger on the 3rd fret on the 5th string, your 2nd finger on the 2nd fret of the 4th string and your 1st finger on the 1st fret on the 2nd string. The 3rd and 1st strings are to be played open and the 6th string is not to be played.The G major chord - Place your 2nd finger on the 3rd fret on the 6th string, your 1st finger on the 2nd fret of the 5th string and your 4th finger on the 3rd fret of the 1st string. The 4th, 3rd, and 2nd strings are to be played open.The D major chord - Place your 1st finger on the 2nd fret on the 3rd string, your 3rd finger on the 3rd fret of the 2nd string and your 2nd finger on the 2nd fret on the 1st string. The 4th string is to be played open while the 5th and 6th strings are not to be played.The E minor chord – Place your 2nd finger on the 2nd fret of the 5th string and your 3rd finger on the 2nd fret on the 4th string. The 6th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st strings should be played open.The E major chord – Played the same as the E minor chord except the 3rd string is not played open but instead played with your 1st finger on the 1st fret.The A minor chord – Played the same as the E major chord except the fingering is moved up one string set. Place your 2nd finger on the 2nd fret of the 4th string, your 3rd finger on the 2nd fret of the 3rd string and your 1st finger on the 1st fret of the 2nd string.The A major chord – Played the same as the A minor chord except the note on the 2nd strings is moved up one fret and the chord is re-fingered. Place your 1st finger on the 2nd fret on the 4th string, your 2nd finger on the 2nd fret on the 3rd string and your 3rd finger on the 2nd fret on the 2nd string.The D minor chord – Place your 2nd finger on your 2nd fret on the 3rd string, your 3rd finger on the 3rd fret on the 2nd string and your 1st finger on the 1st fret on the 1st string.The F major chord – Place your 3rd finger on the 3rd fret of the 4th string your 2nd finger on the 2nd fret on the 3rd string and your 1st finger on the 1st fret on both the 2nd and 1st strings.Take your time to learn these 9 basic guitar chords. You may find some chords are hard to finger, particularly F major and A major, but with practice they will come. You should find that in no more then a few weeks you will have these chords down solid and be able to move from one chord to the next rather comfortably.

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Learn How To Play Jazz Drums

Learn How To Play Jazz Drums
By: Chris Chew

So you have decided that you want to be a drummer but is at a loss as to which genre of playing style you want to master. Have you considered learning how to be a jazz drummer? As you probably know, jazz is one of the most artistic and intriguing genre of music and especially so for the jazz drummer. Playing jazz music gives the drummer the opportunity to exhibit his amazing technical drumming skills and capabilities. However, most drummers choose not to take the time to learn how to play jazz drums properly which is partly due to its wide range of technicalities unlike most other forms of music. Although jazz drumming seem to look very complicated, in reality, it is not that difficult to learn. The main difference is that most drummers are used to the 4/4 tempo of drumming where jazz is played with plenty of triplets and has a different feel from most other types of music. So the drummer may have to relearn some drumming techniques. Furthermore, most jazz pieces are relatively fast in tempo and thus most drummers also need to make improvements on their stick speed. The first thing a new drummer needs to learn when playing jazz pieces is the basic jazz swing tempo or sometimes called the "swing groove". A jazz drummer's main role is to keep time for the rest of the band just like in any genre of music. The drummer should never overpower the rest of the band unlike when playing rock songs. To do this, simply use your hi hat and ride cymbal. Ok. Let's start with your hi-hat stepping on the 2 and 4 count to a piece of swing music. It is critical to keep this count over top of everything else that you play. Next, add ride the cymbal with a triplet tempo and feel. Practice these moves to perfection before going further with your drum lessons. Now that you have mastered how to keep the swing tempo with the hi-hat and ride cymbal, let's move on to the bass drum or sometimes called the kick-drum. Jazz drumming techniques are sometimes very subtle and because of this, the bass drum should not be too dominant. So do make sure that you do not play the bass drum too loudly. This again is unlike most other form of drumming. A good technique for this is keep your heel down when playing the bass drum. In this way, you are more in position control the strength of the kick more easily. A technique jazz drummers often use is the feathering the bass drum. This is done by lightly tapping the bass drum on the quarter or eighth notes. You will probably know that is highly common for the bass drum to follow the bass guitar player. So you may need to know what kind of rhythm progression the bass player is playing and try to follow him. The bass drum should be played with more of a feel rather than powerful thumping like those in rock music. The snare drum can be used to help as an accent for the band or can be used to play straight quarter notes. Another common rhythm in jazz music is the shuffle and every jazz drummer must also master this form of drumming. Furthermore, since jazz music usually have musicians doing solo runs, the jazz drummer must also learn how to play drum solos. By developing these common jazz drumming styles, you will be playing jazz drums like a pro pretty soon!