Music Articles

Music | By Chris Chew @ Monday, 1st September 2008 @ 11:25 AM

To be able to play a musical instrument well is a very satisfying emotional experience. The experience is even more edifying if you are good enough to play in a good band or playing backing for a singer whether professionally or just for the fun of it. So, if you want to learn how to play a musical instrument, which instrument should you pick up? Well, if you are asking me, then I would say, learn how to play the piano. The next question would then be, why should you learn how to play the... more...

Music | By Ki Gray @ Monday, 1st September 2008 @ 10:31 AM

Every year, during the sweltering late summer months, bands from across the country converge on Austin, Texas for one weekend of music, food and hot, sweaty fun. Thousands upon thousands of people, young and old, flock to Austin each year for the massive music event that is the Austin City Limits Music Festival. Some of the biggest names in music show up every year. The festival's eight stages, spread out across Zilker Park, host more than 100 bands over the course of the weekend, each play... more...

Music | By Duane Shinn @ Sunday, 31st August 2008 @ 4:13 PM

When studying the piano, a student encounters a myriad piano styles. To master the instrument, at least several of these styles must be learned, and all if at all possible. Knowledge of various playing styles enables a pianist to enjoy and play in any genre and to cross-polinate styles to create a fusion he or she can call their own. Many modern piano styles are based on the blues. The blues involve an emphasis on the major and minor pentatonic scales, with an additional note included. Th... more...

Music | By Duane Shinn @ Saturday, 30th August 2008 @ 4:25 AM

From his early love of music to his last years, Oscar Peterson's life was full with accomplishments and support from his family. The decision to become a professional pianist led to a weekly radio show and many performances in hotels and music halls for Peterson. Although his life ended at the age of 82, Oscar Peterson had an extremely productive musical career in jazz that ended too quickly. Named Oscar Emmanuel Peterson, he was born on August 15, 1925, in Canada. As a child growing... more...

Music | By Victor Epand @ Friday, 29th August 2008 @ 4:04 PM

If you have ever stopped to look at a piece of sheet music you will have noticed many different shapes ranged across the page. Many look like circles that might or might not be totally filled in. Some may look connected by a couple lines or more. There are other strange symbols as well. What does this all mean? Is sheet music written in some strange language that only a musician can understand? The answer to that is a resounding no! While it can seem daunting at first sheet music is not e... more...

Music | By Jerry Glynn @ Friday, 29th August 2008 @ 3:51 PM

Music recording capabilities and technologies have evolved and changed dramatically over the last few years as heavy mixing boards and other equipment have been replaced, or at least supplemented by portable laptop computers and software programs like ProTools and others. You may be wondering which types of equipment to buy, whether you need to purchase recording software, and how to set up your own studio to help you take your recording abilities and expertise to the next level. The g... more...

Music | By Victor Epand @ Friday, 29th August 2008 @ 3:46 PM

Once you have a firm understanding of simple and compound time you will be ready to learn to interpret irregular time. You can then also begin to understand the methods used to group notes in all types of time. From there on it will be a matter of sitting down to actual sheet music and seeing if you can put your knowledge to use. First you must learn to read and understand irregular time. Irregular time will have a top number that is greater than four. It will not, however, be divisible b... more...

Music | By Victor Epand @ Friday, 29th August 2008 @ 3:42 PM

Sheet music is the written form of music that has all of its notations, chord changes, melodies and harmonies laid out for musicians to play from so that they may stay true to the composer's original vision. While it may be useful for new musicians and for those who play a good deal of classical pieces that require no amount of improvisation, sheet music is not a necessity to many who play other forms of music such as rock and roll or bluegrass since this can be easily learned. Print... more...

Music | By Victor Epand @ Friday, 29th August 2008 @ 8:21 AM

Japanese taiko drums are perhaps some of the most dramatic percussion instruments ever created. Originally used in both Japanese folk and classical musical traditions, taiko drumming has moved with the times and evolved into a modern art form called kumi-daiko, which refers to ensemble taiko drumming. Exhibitions of kumi-daiko can include taiko of all different shapes, sizes, and pitches. Anywhere from one to dozens of performers use sticks called "bachi" to strike the instruments. more...

Music | By Kevin Sinclair @ Friday, 29th August 2008 @ 4:12 AM

Most often when people think of a singing school, images of a large music studio with an aspiring entertainer sitting in front of a grand piano comes to mind. However, singing schools are not just for professional singers, although many students are wonderful singers. It seems that more enrollees want to hone their skills for the enthusiastic pleasure of singing. Although, some individuals mistakenly consider that singing school produces great singers from an assembly line of talent, a si... more...

Music | By Bill Protresi @ Friday, 29th August 2008 @ 1:00 AM

If you are interested to learn bass tabs, you should know that the process of you getting to learn bass online is really going to be the best option, because this will make the entire process as easy and convenient for you as possible. One of the best things about you getting to learn bass online is the convenience it offers. Instead of you having to fit lessons into your already busy and hectic life, you can just go online whenever you have a bit of time, and complete your lessons as you... more...

Music | By Bill Protresi @ Friday, 29th August 2008 @ 12:56 AM

When you hear the term learn slap bass, what it refers to is learning how to play the bass guitar. No matter what the other instruments in a band sound like, the bass guitar is crucial and is really the glue that holds the whole thing together. The bass guitar often goes overlooked, but if you want to know how to learn play you will quickly see just how huge a role the bass guitar plays. The bass guitar has truly become one of the most versatile instruments in today's modern music. ... more...

Music | By Gayelord Nash @ Thursday, 28th August 2008 @ 7:38 PM

What can you do when your guitar is found laying in a place full of water in your flooded house? Is it practical to fix the considerable ruin to the instrument that has been the source of untold enjoyment over so many years? Some folks would believe their guitar is ruined and should be thrown away. This is often not the case. If you get the soaked guitar to a water damage restoration pro rapidly enough, it can likely be rehabilitated. This could be an expensive process so it is necessary to dete... more...

Music | By Duane Shinn @ Thursday, 28th August 2008 @ 7:09 PM

Transposition is changing the key of a piece of music, or changing the notes without changing their relationship. This is often done to make the piece of music easier to play or sing. It's a common practice in bands that don't perform their own material; the singer may wish to cover a song with vocals that are far out of his or her range. Transposition can correct that problem by shifting the key into a range that is comfortable for him or her. Transposition is also used with i... more...

Music | By Bill Protresi @ Thursday, 28th August 2008 @ 11:20 AM

If you want to learn bass tabs, of course you are going to want to find the right company to go through. The good news is that there are quite a few worthwhile options available to you here, companies that you can go through which will ensure that you become the best bass player ever. They will make it look like you have been doing this for years, like you a professional and this will give you a ton of confidence. Guitar and Bass The Guitar and Bass Company is one that you... more...

Music | By Roberto Sedycias @ Wednesday, 27th August 2008 @ 11:41 PM

For guitarists, guitar is not only an instrument of playing music, it is the very purpose of their living. Ask a guitarist if he ever leaves his guitar behind, and mostly likely he will reply, `NO`. It is not unusual to a guitarist constantly research on how to improve the performance of his guitar. This is probably why many professional guitarists and other guitar aficionados all over the world lay a great deal of emphasis on having guitar accessories. Although, a guitar hardly helps y... more...

Music | By Bill Protresi @ Wednesday, 27th August 2008 @ 10:49 PM

If you are interested to learn guitar, you should know that you are doing something really great in your life. Even if you do not end up joining a band or really going anywhere with the whole music thing, if you learn guitar you are gaining a new skill that you can carry with you for the rest of your life and one that will at least be enjoyable. If you want to learn guitar, there are many wonderful options that you have, and there are a few companies in particular that you are going to wa... more...

Music | By Bill Protresi @ Wednesday, 27th August 2008 @ 10:48 PM

If you want to learn to play bass guitar, there are a few things that you are going to want to be aware of, and of course the first thing you will need to do is learn more about the bass guitar itself and what makes it different from your standard guitar. Bass Guitar The bass guitar is a stringed instrument that is played primarily with the fingers, either by plucking, slapping, popping or tapping. This is the main different to the standard guitar, which is typically played by stru... more...

Music | By Duane Shinn @ Wednesday, 27th August 2008 @ 5:15 PM

The piano style is called "swing bass" because your left hand swings back and forth between a low note (or group of notes, such as a 10th, alternating with a chord in the area right below middle C. You definitely know the sound of swing bass when you hear it, even though you may not know its characteristic name. The swing style of playing is great for the piano because of the left-hand, right-hand ability the piano affords. You can play swing bass on the piano with the left hand w... more...

Music | By Duane Shinn @ Wednesday, 27th August 2008 @ 4:44 PM

Just what is it about the tritone chord progression that makes it so mysterious? Perhaps it has to do with its dissonant, clashing sound. It may have something to do with its dubious history. Whatever it is, the tritone chord progression in music made a comeback in music after several centuries of bad publicity. 'Tritone" is defined as a musical interval that spans three whole tones. A tritone chord may also be called an augmented fourth or diminished fifth chord. The tritone sou... more...